On a Raven Wind
by pikachiyo
Summary: Only one other person in the universe knew about Neo-Queen Serenity's illegimate child. But when the spunky 9-year-old decides to find out the real truth about her past, sparks could end up flying from here to Kinmoku... Seiya/Usagi
1. Prologue

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13 (subject to go up or down at my whim ^_~)

Chapter started:2-07-03 Chapter ended: 2-09-03

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

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Prologue. 

Devonshire, England, 1998.

The brown thrush lighted on the green-and-pink-splayed rosebush with practiced ease, ruffling her feathers to cast off the dust of the late July afternoon. She hopped lithely from one branch to another, a helpless earwig pinched between her beak, until she reached the woven mass of grass and twine that was her half-hidden nest. Four greedy mouths reached out, stretching necks begged to be first. Her hatchlings were growing fatter, the nest becoming more and more cramped. Their downy fluff was quickly becoming mature feathers, and it wouldn't be long before she would have to bid her brood farewell, and let them each fly on their own.

That was the way Nature dictated things.

Ne, bird?

Will you miss them?

Or will you be happy that you won't have to hunt for four times the food every day?

At least you will know that they'll be able to care for themselves.

But yet… will you be sad once they're gone? Even knowing that new eggs will hatch in the spring?

The bird arched her wings and flew away again in a flash of brown and white. The woman by the window lingered longer, sighing softly into the summer breeze that wafted through the shade of the garden and found its way through the open screen. A slight perfume of roses trailed in the air, sweetening the room, as antique lace curtains moved lazily in the mid-summer humidity. The occasional musical voice of a songbird accented the afternoon, drifting in from the gardens that she had come to know familiarly over the past months. 

She usually avoided the rose garden, where many prize crimson buds blotted the leaves lining the pathway, but the sweet pink blooms that grew beneath this window had always comforted her. They seemed to convey a soft innocence, a gentle fragility that masked hidden strength. And today, her heavy heart needed such strength. 

She rose from the windowseat, her long golden wave of hair catching the sunlight as it fell past her knees, and turned to the figure across the room who had come unannounced, as swiftly and silently as the darkness. Yet somehow the other woman knew she would be standing there.

"It's time." 

The gentle voice seemed to accent, rather than break, the stillness of the room. Garnet orbs spoke across the distance, meeting azure blue ones. Raven hair fell like a shadow behind her, reflecting green where the sunlight hit it. She wore a gray business suit, simple yet elegant.

"It came too soon." A weak protest from the woman by the window.

"You knew this day would have to come," the figure spoke with the wise but caring tone of a mother. "This was your decision, after all."

"I know." She bowed her head. "I haven't changed my mind."

"It's the best thing to do, my Princess." The dark woman moved across the room, to a bundle of blankets that occasionally emitted a small noise. Carefully, she scooped it into her arms. The blonde woman glanced toward her, catching glimpse of a small black tuft of hair that peeked out of the blanket. She turned again toward the window.

When the second woman had the package arranged comfortably in her arms, she turned her attention once more to the girl by the window. "Will you say goodbye?"

"…I already have. If I look at her again, I know I won't be able to let go. So please… just go now, before my heart changes my mind."

"…Usagi-chan…" The dark woman abandoned all formality and addressed the blonde woman as the dear friend that she was. When no response came, she nodded only slightly, turning to walk away with the precious bundle.

"Please remember," she paused, hoping to give a final word of comfort. "You have a whole new future ahead of you now. Look towards that."

"Arigato, Setsuna-san," the girl spoke, still not turning to meet her eyes. 

The room was silent, and Usagi knew she was gone. Again the only sounds were the birds and buzzing insects outside. She turned away from the window to survey the dim parlor, it's furnishings echoing the Victorian era when it had been built. This part of the old estate had been her home for the past six months, while she'd been in England under the guise of studying abroad. Setsuna had arranged for her to stay, and the owners had been very kind to her.

Usagi shivered in spite of the heat, wrapping her arms gently over her chest. She had to follow the Guardian of Time's advice, and focus on the future now. In just a few days she would be able to return to Japan to be reunited with her friends. That thought allowed a ghost of a smile to cross her lips, though she felt hardly as excited as she might be under normal circumstances. 

As much as she willed herself not to, her eyes drifted toward the empty bassinet across the room. It was an antique she had carried down from the attic, with a decorative lace-trimmed skirt and satin sheets which she'd carefully tucked around the edge. The tiny bed drew her toward itself, and now Usagi let a hand fall onto the smoothness of the sheets.

It's best to forget. Don't dwell on the past. She tried to push away the image of a tiny face that was still so fresh in her mind. Ivory hands caressed the fabric softly, as first one, then another wet drop marred the pristine whiteness of the satin.

She had done what had to, to ensure the safety of her future. Why, then, did she feel as if she'd just given away her only future happiness?


	2. Neesan

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13 (subject to go up or down)

Chapter started:2-10-03 Chapter ended: 

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

**Note on continuity:** Call me crazy, but that whole fall-asleep-for-thousand-years spiel in the anime never made sense to me. It just seemed totally pointless, and was never fully explained. And as far as I can tell, it never happened in the manga – Chibiusa was 902 and still a kid because her powers hadn't emerged yet, and everyone else just had unnatural long life because of the Silver Crystal. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I still don't have reason or desire to incorporate that plotline into this fic (besides it makes things too complicated for me). So, at this point in the story, Crystal Tokyo has been created on Usagi's 22nd birthday in the year 2002, there is no catastrophic world-freezes-over looming, and life goes merrily on. (Birthdays and dates are just estimations by me. The timeline gets messed up anyway when you try to compare ages between anime and manga. I'll try to be consistent, but in the end, they're not really that important.)

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***Chapter 1***

-'Neesan-

Crystal Tokyo, 2008:

There wasn't a member of the world community who wouldn't recognize the palace in Crystal Tokyo – with its tall crystal spires and shining, glass-like surface that sometimes blinded onlookers in the afternoon sun with its glare, the construct was truly an amazing piece of architecture. There were considerably fewer who could say they had actually seen the interior of the great building. It was true, though, that the innards of the palace did not disappoint. Long, crystalline halls stretched like miniature cathedrals, decorated lavishly with engravings and furnishings from the finest artisans in Japan, and demanded a revered awe from anyone who walked them.

At the moment, however, a loud clamor echoed up and down one such hall that was anything but reverent – the sound of tennis shoes slapping the polished marble as short figure ran as fast as she could, expertly weaving between and around (and occasionally bumping into) startled passersby. Three black tails bounced wildly behind her head, while her arms held some small package secure against her chest.

Setsuna heard the commotion stop outside her office door, where she was typing up reports (twenty secretaries in the queen's service and -she- was loaded down with palace bureaucracy!). Within a few moments the door swung silently open a foot or two, and a raven-haired head peeked in. Seeing the dark-skinned woman was busy and facing away from her, she stepped into the room. She peered around the room with a child's curiosity, and finding nothing interesting or different, focused again on the only other occupant of the room. Step by step, she crept closer to the older woman, quiet as a mouse, until she was just an arm's length away…

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Miya jumped back. Sometimes she could swear the guardian of Pluto had eyes in the back of her head. Setsuna swiveled her chair to face the young girl. "What are you doing making so much noise before noon?"

The girl shifted her feet. "I'm hiding. Well, actually George is hiding."

Setsuna raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What is George-kun hiding from?"

She pulled a fat white rabbit out from under her zippered sweater and set it on the desk. "From Tomozawa-san. She's really angry with him."

"Miya…" Setsuna gave the girl a stern gaze that said 'What did you do now?'

"It wasn't his fault!" the child protested. "He had to go to the bathroom, and… he kinda did it… on Tomozawa-san's big padded desk chair."

Setsuna could just imagine the palace's stressed-out head secretary reacting to such a crisis. "Is that all? I thought your mother didn't like you playing in the main wing of the palace."

Miya rolled her eyes. "The staff quarters are boring!"

Setsuna acknowledged this with just a sigh. "Alright. But I have work to do you know…"

"Okay." Setsuna was always busy with one thing or another, when she didn't disappear altogether for days at a time, so Miya was used to this. She hopped onto the second chair in the Time Keeper's office and started to spin herself. Her mother, Makiko Kawabe, was one of the several full-time staff members at the Crystal Palace who resided in the small housing complex adjoining the back of the main building. Her husband had died when Miya was too young to remember. She was always occupied with work during the daytime, so it was up to Miya to amuse herself. Like Setsuna had said, she didn't approve of her daughter being in this area of the palace without supervision, but the main wing provided a much bigger playspace and a wider variety of people, which suited Miya's tastes much better than the drab staff residence. Among the in-house staff she was the only child near her age, so most of the time she only had George for a playmate. 

At nine and a half years old, she was still short (three foot six) and hated it. Her midnight black hair was done up in three braided pigtails, and she'd proudly attest to the fact that she'd been doing her own hair since she was seven. Her bright blue eyes could change from widely innocent to mischievous in a second and she hardly ever passed up an opportunity for a little devilish fun (or any offer of sweets, for that matter).

She'd known Setsuna, otherwise known as Sailor Pluto, for as long as she could remember, and she thought of the woman almost as an aunt or older sister. Setsuna didn't mind if Miya hung out in her office when she was bored, and then there were those rare and fun occasions when just the two of them would take a shopping excursion to the mall or go out for chocolate sundaes. Most of the time, however, she was busy with palace work or important jobs, so Miya begged more than she actually got to go. But in any case, Setsuna was cool. How many kids could say their second-best friend controlled time and space?

"Neeeee, Setsuna-san, show me the time gates?"

"Miya-chan, you've seen them a hundred times."

"But what if something's happening there right now? You should check!"

Setsuna smiled to herself, knowing there had been no trouble in Time in twelve years. "If anything should happen the monitors will alert me. You know that very well."

"But that's no fuuuuuuun…" She swiveled in the chair more, then stopped to pick up her rabbit, who was happily nibbling on a pile of important documents. "George, don't eat those…" She deposited the animal in her lap and paused for several moments in thought. Setsuna-san, can I ask you something?"

"In a minute," the dark-haired woman answered distractedly. Miya frowned and continued to pet the rabbit in her lap, being quieter than normal.

About five minutes later, Setsuna exited her software program, and took the last pile of documents from the printer and stacked them. Miya looked up expectantly. "Finished?"

"Nearly. I need to take these to the Queen's office."

"I'll take them!"

"I don't think so. I remember what happened the last time I gave you an errand."

"Ehehe…" the younger girl grinned guiltily. "But that was an accident."

"It was –just- an accident that those papers ended up all the way out in the dog's pen?"

"Weeelllll…"

"Listen," Setsuna begain, standing. "I'm going to be taking a trip to the outskirts next week with Uranus and Neptune. Your mother's going to be busy with the Winter Festival, so I want you to be super good."

"You're leaving?!" the girl pouted.

"Just for a little while. Now promise me that you'll do what your mother says and –no- pranks."

Her only response was a frown.

"Miya…"

She started spinning the chair again, explicitly ignoring Setsuna's last words. "Why does everyone make such a big deal out of the Winter Festival? I think it's boring."

"Promise me," Setsuna insisted.

Miya stopped the chair suddenly and looked up. "Okay. I'll promise, but only if you tell me something."

"Certainly. What is it?"

"You have to tell me who my real mom and dad are."


	3. Of Rabbits and Blood Types

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13 (subject to go up or down)

Chapter started:2-10-03 Chapter ended: 

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

Here's a Materials Collection-style character sketch of Miya, with my conception of what she looks like and some basic stats: http://www.makenai.org/makenai/fanart/mine/miyachan.jpg

^_^

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***Chapter 2***

-Of Rabbits and Blood Types-

Setsuna nearly dropped the folders in her hand at the young girl's question, but managed to quickly recover. "Miya-chan, your father passed away when you were small, and your mother lives with you in the palace residences," she answered matter-of-factly.

Miya frowned again and stood up, gathering George in her arms. She didn't look at Setsuna but petted the rabbit absently.

"My dad was an A blood-type and my mom is an AB-type."

"T-that's nice…" Setsuna said after a moment, not sure what caused this sudden apparent change in subject and a little thrown off-guard.

"I'm an O-TYPE!! A and AB people can't have O-type babies, it's impossible!"

The guardian of Time did her best to conceal every emotion or expression that might give away anything she knew. She had known this day would have to come. Even if she was prepared for the most part, she knew certain other people were not.

 "Now, who told you that?"

The nine-year-old wasn't about to be patronized. "Alexiel did," she said, referring to one of the teenage staff children who also resided in the palace annex. "Setsuna-san, I've known since I was FIVE that I was adopted! I know she's not my REAL mom. I asked her, and she said she doesn't know who they are, but I know she's lying!"

Setsuna sighed and perched on the edge of the chair. She knew this all too well, but at five years old no one had thought the young Miya comprehended anything – she had even insisted that Makiko was her one and only mother whom she loved so of course Makiko had given birth to her 'daughter'. No one had ventured to explain things then, or even give the slightest details surrounding the adoption. Miya had never mentioned it since then, and even Setsuna assumed the child had forgotten. "Your mother isn't lying," she spoke gently. "She doesn't know. But, Miya-chan, you already have a parent who loves you very much and cares for you more than anything in the world."

Miya hung her head. "I love Mom, but… I just want to know about where I came from." It was true. There were so many things about herself she didn't understand, and growing older, she only realized it more and more. Not just growing pains, but other things that normal children didn't have. Maybe others didn't see it, but Miya knew… she was –different-. And somehow, she thought, if she could find out who she was, she would understand why. She didn't say all this aloud, but she trusted Setsuna more than anyone to be able to explain it all.

"I understand." She reached out and brushed aside the girl's bangs, then stood up. "But there's nothing I can tell you either."

The pigtailed head snapped upwards. "But- "

"Now I need to take these to the Queen's office."

"But, Setsuna-san, why won't you tell me? I know you know –something-!!"

"What makes you think that?"

"Because you know –everything-!"

Setsuna almost chuckled wryly at this last outburst. 'Not quite, dear. If I knew everything, I'd understand much more about why things happen in the way they do, why some people act in the way that they do…'

"Run home," she instructed the girl. Miya simply gave her a pouting glare and didn't move from where she stood. Setsuna turned and walked away down the hall. 

It wasn't long before she heard the tapping of feet running the other direction. 

Not now. Not yet. She had hoped the girl wouldn't bring up any questions until she was older, and she'd been fortunate until now. The truth was, Miya's questions were long overdue. It was only natural for her to want to know her identity. But if her birth mother wasn't ready to approach her yet, it wasn't Setsuna's place to give the child the whole truth. As much as she had wanted to reveal at least a part of the past, she couldn't respond to Miya's inquiries. Besides, she feared the shock of everything would be too much for the young girl. Whether she ever learned the entire truth, or only a piece of it, was up to her mother. 

But from this conversation she could see, things were already starting to stir in the girl's heart. And Setsuna had a feeling Miya would not be easily pacified with vague stories.

Eventually, she would know. And even by Setsuna's predictions, there was no telling what the impact would be – on both mother and child, and even persons beyond.

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Miya plopped herself onto the carpeted floor of her bedroom with a huff, tugging at a braided pigtail out of habit. George hopped away from her and went off to lazily explore the room.

She wouldn't cry. Babies cry. She wasn't a baby. She'd get the truth out of Setsuna no matter how long it took. She grabbed a pillow to squeeze all her anger and emotion out into the polyester.

A noise startled her, and she looked up just in time to see that George had gotten himself too close to a dangerously unstable pile of books and homework that came tumbling down. With a cry she jumped up to pull the books away and unearth the round ball of white fluff. He appeared to be unhurt, and making soothing sounds, she gently picked him up. The animal's red eyes were still wide from the sudden shock of having big heavy rectangular things fall out of the sky, and his small limbs trembled.

Miya curled herself in the soft red blanket that was wrinkled on her bedroom floor. She bent her upper body and pulled her knees toward her chin to form a sheltered nest for the rabbit that sat with his soft body brushing against her stomach.

"Shhh… it's okay," she soothed, running her hand over the silky white fur. "You're scared, I can feel it. Don't worry. No need to be frightened anymore…" There was no one else in the room to see the pink glow that surrounded the rabbit and the hand that caressed its fur, but even if someone had been, they would have dismissed it as a trick of the eye, so faint was it. "There you go…" she continued to speak softly as she felt the animal relax. "Why are you sad, George? Are you lonely like me?" Softly she began to sing the lines of a lullaby that she had know since before she could remember.

Take a shooting star

And hide it in your pocket

And keep it close beside your heart until we meet again

I'll take a shooting star

And softly wish upon it…

She stopped abruptly. She could never remember the last lines of the song. They were always there, on the tip of her memory, but they never came. Right now, however, there was no need.

George had fallen asleep.

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The blur of a video rewinding in fast backward motion filled the large security screen. A long slender finger hit a button on the panel below and the video jumped into real time. On the film recorded this morning somewhere in one of the palace's many wide halls, a black-haired child ambled on her hands and knees, following a white rabbit that hopped a curious zigzag path down the carpet. With several more touches of buttons the screen zoomed in closer to the child's face – laughing blue eyes unaware that they were being watched.

"You're truly predictable, you know."

With the movement of a startled hand the screen went black.

"No one could tell me where you were, so I came here."

"Setsuna-san."

"When will you stop watching her from the shadows, and start speaking face to face?"

The seated figure looked away. "It's not the time yet."

"She's asking questions. She wants to know about her past. I don't think she should know everything, but you might at least talk to her. She's old enough now to understand such things."

"I know," The other woman turned to gaze at her old friend. "Yet…why the change in tone, Setsuna-san? You once told me some parts of the past are best left forever buried."

It was the dark-haired woman's turn to lower her head. "I only ask that you consider what's best for the child."

The seated woman gazed at the folded hands in her lap. Her thoughts appeared to be somewhere far away. At length, she spoke. "I meant to wait until she was older. But I shall tell her when I'm ready. I shall talk to her soon."

"Somehow you don't convince me."

"I shall this time… I promise."


	4. Going Backwards

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:2-17-03 Chapter ended: 2-22-03

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

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***Chapter 3***

-Going Backwards-

A shadowed hand pulled open the desk drawer, trying desperately to be quiet as possible. There were probably no people awake in that entire quarter of the palace, but still she cringed at every smallest noise she accidentally made. A small flashlight guided her actions in the otherwise pitch-black room. With confident movements that showed she knew what she was looking for and exactly where it was, she pulled out pens, staplers, boxes of paper clips, and other such common items, placing them on the desk's smooth surface. With the drawer now cleaned out, her small hand reached in, running over the back, the bottom, the sides of the container. She knew it was here somewhere, she'd even seen Setsuna reach in and put…

There. She felt the panel give way under her fingers as a secret compartment opened up. She pulled out her treasure, cold and hard against her palm. It was a small key, with stylized engravings and encrusted with small jewels.

Soft fingers wrapped around the cool metal.

Now, to put her plan into action.

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Setsuna woke startled to the shrill cry of the alarm that filled her bedroom. Groggily she dragged herself out from under the warm covers to silence the machine that was networked with her office and the time chamber. Pulling on a robe, she wondered softly to herself, "What on Earth…?"

Her swift footsteps covered the distance between her bedroom and office several hallways away. As her mind cast off the fogginess of sleep and started thinking more clearly, more questions and an underlying worry began to form. There had been no indications of trouble in Time since Crystal Tokyo was born, and certainly not recently. Perhaps a malfunction of the alarm? But even that seemed unlikely.

Opening her office door, the same shrill alarm greeted her ears. Setsuna winced as she flipped the light switch and reached for the button that would turn off the piercing noise. That accomplished, she swept her eyes over the office momentarily and gave a sharp intake of breath when her fears were confirmed, and she saw the bare drawer with its secret compartment exposed. With just two touches to her control panel, a view of the Time Gates jumped onto the screen. There was no stirring of human nor creature in the realm of Time, and to the untrained eye everything seemed peaceful and untouched as it had for thousands of years. But in front of the timeless gates a glow was slowly fading – evidence that someone or something had been active in the time warp just minutes earlier.

Setsuna spoke as the realization struck her. 

"She wouldn't have… "

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The first thing Miya did… was panic.

And rightly so. She had landed in 20th century Tokyo with no money, no friends, and no clue how she was going to find her real parents. Not only that, but she was sure she had overshot her birthdate by nearly a whole year. No one had ever told her time travel was such a precision art. The plan had seemed so brilliant when she first conceived it on impulse, but now it struck her in the pits of her stomach that she had no idea what her parents looked like or what their names were. There were thousands of couples together on this sunny afternoon in Tokyo. Which one was –her- mom and dad?

Maybe she should have begged Setsuna for more information. She asked a random person for today's date: August 4, 1997. She wouldn't be born for another eleven months. No one in this time even knew she would exist. Now Miya had nothing to do but fret over this huge oversight on her part. She couldn't very well walk up to any of the passing couples on the sidewalk and ask, "Hey, do you know if I'm your future daughter?" For the first time in her life, she felt utterly, entirely, lost and alone.

She wasn't even entirely sure how to get back home, but she was putting all her trust into the key for that. She kept one hand in her pocket wrapped around the metal object, almost frightened to death of losing it. She had no idea where to go next, but an emerging stubborn streak prevented her from immediately returning to Crystal Tokyo. It was strange looking to the east and not seeing the towering spires of the Crystal Palace dominating the skyline. This place was almost like another planet, and yet oddly the same.

Miya paused to gaze at her face reflected in a shop window. Stubby, turned-up nose, large, slightly slanted blue eyes, black hair tinted blue in the sunlight… she looked around but didn't see one adult that even resembled her. She decided to look a little more, but the chances of actually finding the right person seemed hopeless. With a pout she continued walking and window shopping – might as well enjoy a little fun and freedom before she figured out how to return to her own time.

But surely… there had to be some way to find them. Right?

She wandered for an hour, watching people, peeking into stores, and giggling at a few 20th century fashion fads. She came upon a street that she recognized, though it had changed – a place where she had been before with Setsuna. There was a small park nearby, and at that moment there seemed to be a large crowd gathering. Curious, she stood on tiptoes, only managing to make out that there was some sort of stage set up in the center of the park. Drawn toward the area by some unexplainable urge, Miya picked up her pace. As she came nearer, the smooth notes of a song flowing through the air found her ears.

…Passing through the distant night sky

Now I'll wish on a shooting star

Whispering 'I want to be with you'

Please tell this to her, starlight…

The crowd was packed together in front of her so that she couldn't get a glimpse of anything but a row of human behinds. She tried to squeeze, push, slither, her way through somehow without being extremely rude but didn't manage to get very far. Taking advantage of her small size, she finally made progress crawling through people's legs, although she stepped on quite a few feet and even got her own fingers tromped once. Somehow she emerged unscathed barely an arm's reach from the stage. The music could be heard clear and loud here so close to the speaker system.

Search for your love

                        A ship floats adrift

She could see now that there were three singers on the stage – young men in different colored suits, faces twisted in passion, only in song letting their true emotion shine through for all to see as they poured all their soul into one melody. The lead singer was a dark-haired man in red, with a ponytail like the two others. As Miya watched him she thought she had never heard a voice so beautiful. It's deep, rich sounds were stirring up a warmth inside her heart, a warmth like she had never felt before – beginning coiled in the depths of her stomach and washing over her being like the gentle waves of the ocean.

Search for your love

                        In the madness

And yet… she felt sad. The man's eyes opened for moment in the middle of his song, and for the briefest second, his sapphire eyes met with hers. The feeling was unexplainable. In that moment, Miya felt as if she could glimpse his soul – the conflict, the passion, the longing… there was a message he needed to convey to her. As the warmth turned to fire…

Swept out to you…

Everything else seemed to fade away until there was nothing but the music… the –sight- of the music, the –touch- of the music. 

Violence. Destruction. …Death. A blur of horrified faces, and the pungent smell of evil. The clash of weapons, and the blood of pain.

Then escape. A darkened sky. The dim color of sadness. Desperation… clinging… searching…

Loneliness.

Can you hear my voice calling?

Where are you now?

My princess…

Princess? Were they calling to her? 'Am I a princess? It feels as if they are reaching out to me… yet I can't reach back, and I can't answer.' Who was this lady they were searching for? The fire in her heart burned, enveloped by the music. A vision wavered before her closed eyes – long, flowing hair, a gentle smile… Miya was comforted by her very presence, this woman who was friend, guardian, and lover. 

Answer me

                        Right away

Answer me

                        So gently…

Where are you, mysterious princess? Your soldiers are longing to see you. Come back to them once more…

Miya wanted, needed to reach out to them, comfort them, but she didn't know how. She felt an unexplainable connection to the three on stage, like a long-lost twin you never knew you had. Someone who could –feel-; someone who could –understand-. And there was a force inside her stirring, burning, wanting to be…

Released.

Miya opened her eyes as if awaking from a dream. The crowd around her was shouting, she realized, as the noise gradually seeped into her consciousness. The song had ended and the men on stage were now talking to the audience. A lingering feeling in her chest left Miya to wonder what had just happened. Had she fallen asleep and dreamed? The thump of her heart told her otherwise, and the vision had seemed so real. She looked around her to see if anyone else had been affected in the same way, but no one else even noticed the short girl beside them, happily chattering as they watched the concert. Miya's eyes turned again to the figures on stage.

She tugged at the shirtsleeve of the girl beside her. "Ne… who are they?"

The teenager stared at her like she had just walked off a UFO. "You don't know? It's Three Lights, of course!"

"Oh…" She looked up at the man in red again, laughing now as he flirted with the crowd. Miya puzzled how his careless attitude now could contrast so much with the depth of feeling she had heard in his song just seconds before, making her wonder if she had imagined it all. "And who is he?"

"The lead singer? That's Seiya Kou. He's sixteen and he's the most popular of the three. And best of all, he's a Leo! Isn't he just the hottest?" the girl gushed.

The trio was waving to the fans now as they prepared to leave. As he turned before disappearing behind stage, Miya recalled the eyes that had met hers for only a moment.

"Seiya Kou…"


	5. Chasing After You

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:1-02-03 Chapter ended: 

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

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***Chapter 4***

-Chasing After You-

Miya's mind was a storm of questions and confusion. Those men on stage – Three Lights – who were they? Did they have some connection with her own past? And if not, why had she felt such a strange connection with them? In their song, she had been drawn into the melody and it felt as if they were singing solely for her. They each had incredible auras, like she had felt from no other human before, but she was drawn toward Seiya's more than the others, and she couldn't understand why. Since she was a young child she had felt things and sensed things that other children might laugh at if they knew, but never like this. Never with this intensity. 

Which was why she now had burning desire to find out exactly what kind of people Three Lights were.

She couldn't believe her luck when she spotted the figure escaping in the opposite direction that most of the crowd was dispersing in now that the concert was over. She squinted in the sunlight to make sure her eyes hadn't deceived her. He was now wearing a rumpled gray T-shirt and worn jeans, hands shoved deep into the pockets. He kept his head down so that his face was shielded by the low brim of a dark baseball cap, which also served to hide the long black tail tucked underneath its crown. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes - but his aura was unmistakable.

The other two were nowhere in sight, but the fangirl screams directed at a departing black limousine were an obvious hint. That only made Miya wonder why her stalkee was not with them. Perhaps the limo was nothing but a decoy.

 She lost him several times among all the people, only to spot the ubiquitous figure once again, walking away at a steady pace like a thief hoping to blend in and escape unnoticed. Once away from the throng and back on the normal streets, he slowed his steps. Miya followed at a safe distance, even though the man seemed too absorbed in his own thought to notice the short girl lingering several yards behind.

At one point he stopped in front of a flower shoppe, as something in the window display seemed to attract his attention. Oblivious to anyone around him (in the same way all except one person on the street paid no attention to him), his fingertips lifted to touch the glass that stood between him and a lovely bouquet – small, delicate orange-colored blossoms gathered in clusters on their stem, framed by long tendrils of green leaf. From her vantage behind a streetlight, Miya watched the private moment in silence. She didn't even know him, but she wanted to know what he was thinking, and what was troubling him. Did the flower hold a special meaning for him? After several seconds, he turned to walk away, but then another sight in the window caught his eye. His hand drifted from the orange flowers to another one. 

Miya craned her neck trying to see what his new object of attention was, but his body blocked her view. Intensely curious, she stepped out… straight into the path of a woman with an armful of groceries. She cringed at the sound of twelve aluminum soda cans clattering to the ground together with several other goods, as she stuttered a quick apology. The noise startled Seiya from his reverie and he looked straight in their direction. Feeling her heart jump like she'd just been caught, Miya ducked behind the woman she'd just bumped into busying herself with picking up the spilled groceries. When she popped her head up several seconds later, he was already walking the opposite direction. She abandoned the already irritated woman to her own mess to start following her target again before she lost him. But before she did, she peered in the flower shoppe window and saw the second thing that Seiya had been so interested in:

Pink roses.

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"Didn't you feel it? During the last song."

"You think it was –her-?"

"It wasn't the Princess," the auburn-haired man stated matter-of-factly as he set his teacup down on the coffee table. "It's not the same energy." 

Now away from the overwhelming crowds and fans, Three Lights were back in their modest private apartment. The room was dim, since no one had bothered to turn on a light while the sun slipped slowly behind the city skyline. The one who had just spoken was Taiki, tallest and most level-headed of the three. Yaten, the silver-haired shortest band member, lay stretched along the length of the sofa, slippered feet propped up on one of the cushioned arms. Meanwhile Seiya, their raven-haired companion and passionate leader, paced the floor, uncharacteristically deep in thought. He had opted to walk home today after the concert instead of riding with Taiki and Yaten, but the long walk hadn't helped to clear his head. He probably had more questions now than ever before.

"Then who?"

"What does it matter?" Seiya stopped midstep. "It was an answer, wasn't it? We know that our message is reaching someone. That's hope, isn't it?"

This caused Yaten sit upright and confront his partner. "We don't want it to reach anyone but her! Our message is only for one person, Seiya. And one person alone."

"I know that, Yaten," Seiya glared, resenting the hidden accusation in the other boy's tone. The other two could never understand his feelings.

"All we can do is keep singing," Taiki stated.

The silver-haired idol fell back onto the sofa with a sigh. "I'm tired of singing," he whimpered.

"For god's sake, Yaten, quit complaining! You're the one who just said we're doing this for our Princess' sake," Seiya snapped, not in the mood to be compassionate, even if he did feel the same way.

"Stop it," Taiki interjected, ever the peacemaker. 

Yaten returned a deadly glare at Seiya but let it drop. After another disappointing concert, he didn't have the will or energy to argue tonight. He watched the arms of the ceiling fan move lazily around their axle. Turning, turning, but never going anywhere. After a minute or so, he broke the silence. "If it wasn't the Princess, whose energy was that today?"

"I don't believe it was any human's," Taiki replied, taking up his tea again.

"An enemy, then?"

Yaten craned his neck around when Seiya seemed to ignore the conversation and move with a sudden urgency toward the apartment's single window. "What are you doing?" he frowned.

"I saw something move outside." His two companions only exchanged cocked-eyebrow glances while Seiya shoved the window upward to let in the cool evening air and stuck his head outside.

The alley was empty. Was it his imagination? But he could swear that for just a moment he had seen a face – a child's face. 'You've really lost it, Seiya. Now you're having hallucinations.' Perhaps he was just tired, but the image of that face kept coming back to him – the one in the front row of today's audience. For some reason she felt oddly familiar and he couldn't place why. Yet at the same time he knew he'd never seen her before in his life. And the mysterious response to their song that day made the feeling even stranger. A slight breeze played through the window and tingled on his skin, sending the slightest shiver through his body.

"I'm sure it was nothing but a cat or a rat on the windowsill," Taiki spoke.

"Yeah, close the window already," Yaten grumbled. "That alleyway stinks."

"In any case," Taiki continued with the previous conversation, "it may have been an enemy, but I don't think we should be worrying about it. It was too faint to warrant much concern."

"No… it was stronger," Seiya spoke softly to the quiet alleyway… unaware that he had just been overheard by a small figure pressed against the brick building exactly beneath him.

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Authors notes: This chapter was supposed to be longer, but as I'd fallen behind and people were already asking when it would be out, I decided to post what I had written. I'll try to make the next chapter longer. If you're wondering what the flowers are supposed to mean that Seiya was looking at, yes, there's a bit of symbolism there. The orange flowers are obviously olive blossoms and represent Kakyuu. And if you read the prologue you can figure out who the pink roses are. I never meant to carry that metaphor beyond the prologue but perhaps now I'll make it a theme running through the whole story.

Thank you so much all the readers. ^_~ And if you ever want to make a comment or suggestion or just say hi, drop me an email.


	6. Meguriau

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:3-05-03 Chapter ended: 3-05-21

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own. 

Warning: I've been forgetting to put this in previous chapters, but for those of you who are sensitive, this will be shoujo-ai (female/female) in future chapters. ^_~

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***Chapter 5***

-Meguriai (Chance Meeting)-

Cold.

Cold and dark. 

Miya pulled her sweater closer around her, pressing her face down into her knees. Here was yet another thing she was discovering she had overlooked – a place to stay at night. She feared straying too far from Three Lights apartment in case she should get lost. In any case she had nowhere else to go. Though it was summer, tonight was particularly chilly, much to Miya's discomfort. The hard brick and cement behind and below her didn't help, but it was nothing she couldn't survive. Thankfully the alley she had taken up residence in for the night was relatively clean besides several heaps of black-bagged trash, which she tested to find they made a fairly decent pillow. 

She turned her silver key over in her hand and pondered returning home. But how could she now when there were so many things she hadn't even started to learn yet? Setting her mind firmly, she slipped the key securely back in her jeans pocket.

Finally overcome by her own body's limitations, the young girl's tired head dropped as sleep fell heavily upon her.

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She watched the young sleeping figure with gentle eyes – emotion she revealed to very few. But this particular child had played and teased her way into her garrisoned heart. In her own way, the unsuspecting girl had come to fill a void in the older woman's heart left by loneliness and scarred by the past. Her own timeless eyes had seen, and had known, and had experienced. She had brought her garnet staff down in justice and in error. She had gained and she had lost. But a child was innocence. A child was hope for the future, a new future unmarred by the mistakes of the past.

For in truth, Miya was her penance child. Beyond the deep bond there was a sense of responsibility – that if somehow she raised this child up right it could atone for the sins of her own past. Perhaps not. Perhaps a happy future was no longer within anyone's reach. But at least she could ease some of her own guilt, if just a little. And as long as she could protect the girl's safety and happiness, nothing else mattered.

The child never stirred as she spread the blanket over her curled-up form, tucking the edges to block out any draft. With a soft whisper, and a fleeting touch, she stood again, reluctantly disappearing into the shadows once more.

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The morning sun peered persistently through the gray fortresses that were Tokyo's skyscrapers, splashing its rays throughout the city and anointing everything they touched with color. Miya awoke with the new daylight glimmering in her eyes, in a strange environment that was nothing like her red-and-pink plush bedroom. She blinked at the brick wall opposite her vision for several seconds before recalling what had brought her here yesterday, and that she was no longer in the 21st century. Rubbing the tiredness from her eyes and feeling a little stiff, the pigtailed girl stretched and let the soft blanket fall from her upper body.

Blanket? Miya blinked at the innocent-looking weave of fabric that had mysteriously appeared between now and last night. A swift glance in every direction revealed that she was still completely alone as far as she could tell. Before she had a chance to puzzle over it further, her thoughts were interrupted by voices drifting toward her from the street.

"Last chance to ride with us," Taiki said, dangling the keys to the van on a finger. "You do know you're likely to get sprung by fangirls if you walk again. Some of the more savvy ones are starting to learn our routines. The other day Yaten ended up signing autographs in Bloomington's for half an hour."

"Which sucks. Now I can't shop there in peace anymore," the silver-headed boy grumbled.

"No thanks," Seiya replied, quite chipper this morning, contrasting last night's darker mood. "I enjoy walking, fangirls or no. Tones the thighs," he explained with a slap to the side of his blue uniform pants.

"Yeah, sure. Tell me, what's with the recent fitness kick?" Yaten deadpanned.

"That one's not hard to figure out," Taiki said dryly. "He knows he can catch a certain 'rabbit' on her way to school if he takes the long route. Which by the way, if he takes the long route, he WILL be late for class today." He cast a significant look at his raven-haired companion.

Seiya only shrugged. "Not like it would be the first time. You'll cover for me, ne? Ja!" With a grin, he flipped his briefcase over his shoulder and headed off in his own direction as Yaten simply rolled his eyes.

The morning sun was already beginning to warm the air as Seiya strolled down the sidewalk in no particular hurry. He checked his watch again to make sure he was timing himself just right to catch Usagi's mad dash for the school. 

Miya lingered shyly behind, far enough away but always keeping him in sight and herself out of sight. She was still not sure why she was following him but she was acting on a gut feeling. 'Sometimes the greatest deceiver is inside one's own heart.' Who had said those words? Miya couldn't remember. Oh well, she never did care for wise proverbs to begin with. They never made any sense. Now in a more residential block of the city, she found the best way to keep hidden was to cut across the front yards, letting fences and hedges be her temporary shelter. She ignored the occasional odd stare she received from residents who happening to be walking out the front door as she passed, and lapsed into full stalking mode once again. She began to forget her purpose and feel like she was a ninja assassin in one of those old movies, tracking her unsuspecting prey.

The ninja yawned. She wasn't used to getting up this early. Add to that the fact that she wasn't feeling all that well rested – the cement ground hadn't made the most comfortable of beds last night. Miya grimaced to herself remembering it. The thought the of mysterious blanket flickered across her mind, before she disciplined herself once again to focused on the blue-uniformed figure on the sidewalk.

Suddenly a flash of blue and yellow crossed her vision, accompanied by the flap of running feet against the cement and loud panting. The blur came out of nowhere and whizzed past Seiya until it was stopped by a single spoken word.

"Odango!"

The 'blur', actually a teenage girl in a white and navy school uniform and with long sunshine blonde pigtails, halted in her tracks and looked back as if noticing for the first time that there was another person on the sidewalk. Her big blue eyes blinked in surprise as a piece of toast dangled from her half-open mouth. "Seiya? What are you doing here?"

The boy laughed. "Walking to school the same as you. You know, Odango, you run the risk of getting heartburn if you make a habit of eating on the run like that."

Miya had to press her fist to her mouth to keep from bursting out in giggles when she realized that the 'odango' was a nickname. It fit so perfectly! The girl's knee-length hair was pulled up into two long tails, with a bun on top of each. The buns really did resemble odangos, almost good enough to eat. In fact, this girl's head almost identically resembled the Queen Serenity's silver hairstyle. In all her days, Miya had never seen anyone with hair quite like the Queen's. It must be some odd 20th century fashion, she concluded. She always suspected the Queen was horribly out of style, and now she had proof! That really was laughable. She wondered if anyone had ever dared to call the monarch of Crystal Tokyo 'Odango'.

"Heart-what?" 'Odango' blinked.

"Never mind."

"Gyaahh~~!!" the blonde suddenly shrieked like an off-key alarm as she stared at her watch. "I'm going to be so late! I gotta go! Sayonaraaa~~!!" With that she spun and sprinted away again, hair streaking behind her, leaving behind the faintest wisp of vanilla perfume. Seiya remained rooted to the sidewalk as she rounded a sharp corner and disappeared. She couldn't be sure, but Miya thought she saw his shoulders rise and fall in a small sigh. 

In trying to get a better view of Seiya and the blonde's short exchange, the black-haired girl had unconsciously leaned dangerously out over the hedge she was supposed to be hiding behind. Stretched on tiptoes, she peered out toward the sidewalk, ignoring the branches that scraped her arms, until…

SNAP!

A dead branch gave way under her weight with a loud pop, breaking Miya's focus and throwing her off-balance. Seiya's head snapped around. Miya dove for cover. Safe behind the hedge again, she inhaled a deep breath. That was too close. Had he seen her?

Seiya's suspicions hit the ceiling once again when he caught sight of the dark pigtailed head disappearing behind the bush. His intuition wasn't playing tricks on him after all – he -was- being followed. Ever since he left the apartment he hadn't been able to shake the uncomfortable feeling and the faint voice of invisible footsteps. Sapphire eyes narrowed.

She crawled on hands and knees through the dirt until she reached the end of the hedge. Perhaps he hadn't seen her after all and she'd gotten lucky. She peeked through the outer branches looking for a pair of feet, but didn't find any. Strange… but maybe he'd started walking again. She stuck her body out farther, and then farther, until she had a full view of the length of the sidewalk, and there was no blue uniform in sight in either direction. Puzzled, Miya stepped out into the center of the sidewalk in plain view.

She shrieked when something grabbed her, lifting her completely off her feet. Instinct kicked in and she struggled violently, wildly swinging white tennis-shoed feet. The strong arms held determinedly tight around her waist. She opened her mouth and screamed in the highest pitch she could manage. 

"Don't scream!" an anxious voice barked close to her ear. Miya stopped and froze at the sound of the words. And the realization that her captor was none other than Seiya Kou. Then it struck her: She'd been caught. Panicked, she squirmed and kicked twice as hard, one foot managing to connect hard with a shin. She screamed again, and this time a hand came up to clamp over her mouth, cutting off the sound of her voice. Automatically, Miya bit down. Hard.

He gave a cry of pain and loosened his hold enough for Miya to drop to the ground. "Dammit, kid, quit screaming like that! People are going to think I'm some pervert child molester! I'm not going to hurt you, alright?" Seiya nervously looked up and down the street to see if anyone really was watching. His arm reached out and snagged the hood of her sweater a she started to make her clean getaway, and jerked her back. "But you're not going anywhere," his voice was suddenly low and fierce, "until you tell why you're following me."

She felt her heart beating strangely against her chest. Why she was following him? She wasn't even sure herself. With no way to run, Miya turned to face him.

Wide sapphire eyes locked with identical narrower ones at the same level. Seiya had to prevent himself from taking an audible intake of breath. It was the same girl from the audience yesterday, but somehow that wasn't really a shock. Naturally he felt a twinge of guilt for being so harsh with her – she was nothing but an innocent-looking little kid. One thought of her teeth in his hand, however, and that feeling diminished. But… there was something else about her, below the surface, and a feeling that told him she was more than just a neighborhood kid out playing a make-believe game of  'spy'.  Oddly, it didn't feel like a threat, but almost like a strange case of déjà vu. She had a light in her aura almost like a certain other girl that danced in his dreams every night. 'But that's strange, because…  I swear she almost looks like me.'

Miya met Seiya's eyes and in a second all hostility fled from them as the blue orbs widened. She could feel that unexplainable feeling rising in her chest again, just like it had been at the concert yesterday. 

"Who are you?" Seiya's words were low, uncertain.

Miya stood silent as a statue. A thousand words were streaming though her mind. 'Ask him,' her thoughts said, 'ask him… does he have a daughter? Does he know anything about his future? Who is the person he calls out to in his songs? Am I familiar to you at all?' But her lips would not move.

"Where did you come from?" He was certain she had been the source of yesterday's mysterious message, and that's what made things more puzzling. The message, however faint, was put out on the same wavelength as theirs, and Seiya had never felt that done by a person not of Kinmokuseijin blood.

'I come from the future… I'm looking for someone…' Again her thoughts could not seem to cooperate with her lips. Miya took a step backwards. His eyes studied her with a mixture of intensity and confusion, and she suddenly felt, however unlikely it was, that he knew everything and was reading her mind. Could he see the empty spot in her soul? Her heart was beating again and she didn't know why. 

But then a thought struck her. What if she'd made a mistake? What if her gut feeling was wrong and Seiya had nothing to do with her past? Even worse, what if she had changed the course of Time by coming here? She might never be born! The confusion of the situation weighed down on the nine-year-old child.

And Seiya's eyes still watched her, waiting for an answer. An answer she didn't have. Her heart pounded in her ears.

"Hey!!" Seiya reached and missed as the mystery child suddenly turned and fled. He sat back on his heels and sighed, watching her disappear. As he wondered… would he ever see her again?

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She pressed her back against the inner wall of a brick fence, chest rising and falling with her heavy breath. "Baka Miya," she spoke softly to herself. "Why did you run away?" It was too late now. Her one chance, and she'd blown it. If only she knew who he truly was. What was she to do now?

Suddenly sensing a presence beside her, she looked up, and blue eyes lit with surprise. 

The olive-skinned Guardian of Time merely extended a hand toward the young girl. "Come," she said. "This is no way for you to learn about the past."

It was minutes later that they were seated once again in Setsuna's small office, back in the 21st century. Miya squirmed in her seat, looking down at her folded hands in her lap, feet swinging back and forth. She knew she was in for a scolding. No, that was an understatement. In light of what she had done – running away to the past without telling anyone – the words "grounded for life" were looming in her head. Well, there was nothing she could do now but take what was coming. She only wished she could have found some kind of concrete answer.

Setsuna laid her suit jacket over the back of her chair and sat down facing the girl. The older woman sighed. 'Here it comes,' Miya thought.

"Now," Setsuna began. "It's time someone told you… about your parents."


	7. Unearthing the Past

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:3-27-03 Chapter ended: 4-12-03

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own. 

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***Chapter 6***

-Unearthing the Past-

Miya's head snapped upwards. "Really? You'll tell me…" 

Setsuna nodded solemnly. "Now… sit down and sit still." She was already sitting but Miya adjusted herself in the chair and looked up expectantly. Setsuna saw the girl's eagerness and prayed she could be honest while choosing her words carefully. "Where shall I start?"

"My father…" Miya began.

"Yes, your father was – "

"Seiya Kou."

Setsuna blinked in surprise at Miya's interruption, then a soft smile crept across her face. "Yes. That was his name." Miya felt a strange fluttering in her heart as she remembered the dark-haired man from the 20th century. So he was her father after all. She had never known her adoptive father, so the thought of Seiya being her birth father caused strange excited emotions to flit up and down inside her, like koi in the palace garden ponds.

"He was a very famous idol before you were born, part of a group called Three Lights. He and his band members lived in Tokyo, and he was already quite popular when he met your mother. They attended the same school, and she didn't very much like him at first. Seiya was determined to win her heart, however. Well, they eventually became good friends. Your mother didn't yet realize the way Seiya felt about her, or if she did, she didn't let on. But you see, your mother loved someone else, but he was far away, and this was making her sad. Seiya hated seeing her sad, so he was always trying to cheer her up. He stayed by her and was able to help her through many hard times." Miya smiled to herself. Ever since she'd laid eyes on Seiya she knew he had to be caring and kind. But the picture kept reappearing in her mind of the pigtailed girl on the sidewalk who had seemed so clueless to everything in front of her. She wondered if that girl…

 Her thoughts didn't have time to complete themselves as Setsuna continued the story. "Then a day came when both of them discovered the other had been keeping secrets from the other. Well, being friends, they were able to forgive each other, but others weren't. Some of their other friends wanted to keep them apart because of this, but both of them did everything they could to be able to see each other again. Finally, one rainy night, he confessed his feelings to her."

"And that's when she realized that she loved him too!" Miya interjected. Certainly, that's how the story in every TV drama turned out, why not her parent's love story? Deep in her gut, though, she had a feeling Setsuna's tale wouldn't have a fairy-tale ending, because, well… she already knew half the ending.

Setsuna's smile was soft and melancholic. "Perhaps… perhaps she did. And… soon after that, you were conceived. But weeks later, many things changed. Your mother's boyfriend returned, and your father had to return to his own home, where he had many other duties to attend to. But I'm assured he never forgot about your mother. She never told him about you, and when you were born, she wanted you to have a happy, normal life. It saddened her very deeply, but she knew she couldn't provide for you in all the ways she wished. So she arranged for you to be adopted by the Kawabe's, where she knew you would grow up happy in a loving home."

A frown remained pasted on Miya's face as she swung her legs in thought. "So… why couldn't they get married? Didn't they love each other?"

"Well… certainly they did, Miya-chan, but things just didn't work out. Like I said, your father had to return to his duties far away."

"How far?" The girl turned a questioning face upwards again. "I thought he lived in Tokyo."

"Temporarily, yes," Setsuna answered with continuing patience. "But he originally came from a country many, many miles away. And he couldn't stay in Tokyo forever, even if he'd wanted to."

"Oh." She took a moment to absorb all these things she'd just learned. "Is it too far to visit?"

Setsuna chuckled softly. "It might be a difficult journey to arrange, but perhaps someday." She visualized Seiya's shock at having the little girl show up on her doorstep. So far as she knew, the Kinmoku senshi knew nothing of the child she had fathered.

"Arigato, Setsuna-san!" Miya smiled widely. The thought of seeing Seiya again caused an overpowering feeling to surge up inside her. It felt strange suddenly to know that might actually meet her parents – her real parents. She felt a little bit guilty as though she were betraying her adoptive mother who had cared for her all these years, but surely Makiko would understand. "And my mother?" she wanted to know. "Do you know where she is now, Setsuna-san?"

Setsuna took longer than it was necessary to arrange her hands neatly in her lap. "If I am correct, she still lives in Tokyo. How does this sound? I shall talk to her and see if we can arrange for the two of you to meet. Would you like that?"

"Hounto?!" Miya could hardly contain her excitement. Both parents – she was going to meet both of them! She jumped from her seat and threw her arms around the dark-haired woman. "I would like that very, very much." Setsuna let her hand rest on the girl's head. Miya seemed so happy now at the prospect of seeing her lost parents, now Setsuna only prayed she wouldn't have to disappoint her.

A slight cough from the doorway interrupted their embrace. "Sorry, am I ruining a Hallmark moment?"

The sandy-haired Princess Uranus leaned against the doorframe in a casual blouse and jeans. Her tomboy haircut fell rebelliously over her eyes and something like a smile – or a smirk – tugged at the corner of her otherwise serious face.

"Haruka," Setsuna spoke, "what brings you here? I can see from your empty hands you haven't brought me lunch."

"Hey now!" the blonde protested, crossing her arms. "Am I supposed to please everyone today?"

"I suppose I can fetch my own lunch… Anyway, was there something you needed?"

Haruka used an index finger to scratch her chin awkwardly. "Actually, yes. You see, um… I was wondering if you would… well…"

A wry look crossed the Time Guardians face. "Ah, let me guess. You and Michiru argued and now you want me to talk to her?"

"Would you?" Haruka punctuated her request with a charming grin that surely no one could refuse. Okay… no one except Setsuna.

"Haruka, I'm in the middle of something right now…"

"It's okay!" Miya piped up, and Setsuna looked toward her with mild surprise.

"Are you sure, dear?"

Miya nodded, and then bent her upper half in a bow. "Thank you very much for telling me everything and I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused." As she turned her face up once again it was still beaming with happiness. Setsuna couldn't help but smile in return.

"I'll be back in a little while, okay? Or longer, depending on how angry Haruka has made Michiru-san this time." She cast a pointed look at Haruka, who managed to keep a completely innocent composure. "Honestly, sometimes I think the two of you fight just so you can make up."

An impish grin crept over Haruka's face. "At least we'll be having more fun tonight than certain old maids I know."

Implying the other woman was an 'old maid' got Haruka a deadly glare with garnet eyes, but Setsuna knew better than to begin a war of insults by returning the barb – Haruka could be relentless if she wanted to, even if Setsuna's wit could be sharper. Instead she retained her ever-stoic composure and commented dryly as they left the room, "Since when you two ever wait until nighttime?"

Once she was left alone in the room, Miya's thoughts remained centered on one thing – her parents. What would their reaction be when they saw her? She recalled her brief encounter with Seiya in the past. Would he think she was a pretty child, or would he see her as simply a little brat? She tugged at a pigtail and studied its paintbrush tip with a frown. Sure, she didn't always have the best behavior, and she didn't have adult grace like the Queen or the senshi princesses – in fact, she was always tripping over her feet. Would he like her despite of that?

For a moment she wondered if Makiko-mama would permit her to meet her real parents, but if Setsuna said it was okay, surely she would, too. She'd gotten herself so worked up about seeing them now, she knew she'd be terribly disappointed if she found out she couldn't.

A distant crash and shout coming from the hallway interrupted her train of thought. Curiously Miya ventured out to find the source of the noise, and to see if anyone was hurt. A few offices down she found an open door… and an utter disaster inside. Furniture was pushed askew in every direction, and on it and on the floor were boxes and books and other objects apparently thrown in random stacks and piles to form little 'islands' on the carpet. Toward the back of the room, a woman with long blonde hair was kicking a tipped-over box while uttering a string of fast curses that were probably – okay, most certainly – not suitable for a nine-year-old's ears. 

Once she had finished her tirade with a huff and looked up, the woman was surprised to find a child standing in the middle of the room watching her. She became immediately embarrassed. "Eheheh… You didn't… hear any of that, did you?"

Miya wasn't sure what to say because she'd obviously heard quite a bit of it. "Um… what are you doing?" She now recognized the blonde woman as the Princess Venus.

"Remodeling!" Venus answered while tipping the box back upright with her foot. Half of its contents were still scattered on the floor. "Or… at least I was trying to clean out this closet so we can remodel until this box fell down on my foot. But I think I stubbed my toe worse trying to kick it." She giggled and held up her stocking foot.

Miya giggled as well. "Your office is a mess," she said.

"Just wait until it's finished!" Venus declared. "It's going to look positively awesome! Um… it's Miya-chan, isn't it?" Miya nodded. "I thought so. I've seen you with Setsuna-san before. Would you want to help me organize some of this stuff? Since Mako-chan abandoned me, I've been working by myself, and I'll never get done at this rate."

When Miya agreed, they set to work pulling the remainder of the boxes from top shelf of the closet, searching through them and trying to categorize what was in them. Most of them continued boring stuff like 8-year-old tax documents or outdated electronic equipment, which were set aside to be dealt with later. Another box contained whole hoard of misplaced Christmas decorations. Finally Miya dragged a plain-looking brown box toward her, the last box to be opened. Expecting it to contain another musty stack of papers or books, she was curiously surprised to open the flaps and find a pair of fuzzy white bunny slippers staring back at her. She almost laughed, because they immediately reminded her of George.

She lifted them out and examined them. They were well-worn with use, with one of the seams coming apart at the front, but there was no way to tell how old they might be or how long they'd been stored away in the back of the closet. Their pink-lined ears flopped tiredly over the slipper's 'face'. "Are these yours, Venus-san? They're kawaii!"

Venus looked up from the box she was currently sorting. Her brow furrowed in puzzlement when she saw what Miya was holding up. "Whose in the world…?" She stepped over stacks of junk to retrieve the slippers from the girl's hand. While she studied them, Miya took the opportunity to see what else was in the box. There were quite a few stuffed animals, obviously well-loved from their worn condition, several small knick-knacks, as well as a stack of old manga dating from the mid-1990s. A small gasp above her made Miya turn her eyes up to see Venus gazing at the contents of the box with a funny recognition. She dropped to her knees and helped Miya dig deeper into the box. "I didn't know she kept this stuff," Venus commented softly as she pulled out a dusty white-and-navy school uniform and held it up.

Miya peeked in to see what odd treasures the box would yield next. What she found was a stack of framed photographs that had been hidden under the uniform. The first picture was a young couple smiling for the camera in a green park setting. Miya's mouth dropped open when she realized the girl in the picture was none other than the 'Odango' she had seen Seiya speak with in the 20th century. Her hair was up in the same silly pigtails. She clung to the man's arm with one hand while holding out her fingers in a 'V' sign with the other and grinning brightly. But the man in the picture was not Seiya. He had short dark hair and calm blue eyes, and he smiled gently with one arm hooked around the girl's waist.

She considered asking Venus what the couple's names were, but the woman was engrossed in looking through the rest of the photographs, smiling or giving a nostalgic chuckle now and then. So she laid it aside for the time being and reached for the last contents of the box, assorted unrelated objects. Then she saw it. It probably wouldn't have seemed special to anyone else – just another random piece of this stranger's box of memories – but it tugged a special cord of Miya's heart. It was a simple CD, lying on the dusty bottom of the box.

A _Three Lights _CD.

She reached for it with electric fingers, turning the smooth plastic casing over in her hands almost reverently. Mesmerized, the portrait on the front drew her into itself until the image of the three men seemed to lift itself off the white background and fuse into her mind. It was even stranger now knowing the red-suited man's relation to herself was real and not just a creation of her imagination. She let a finger run over the title of the album engraved beneath the men's feet – _Nagareboshi He._

"Oh my god!" a voice sounded beside her and the CD was lifted from Miya's hands. She was then witness to the strange sight of the Princess Venus hugging the CD adoringly to her chest. She released it and held it out, gazing at the portrait on the cover with a happy smile. "It been so long since I've listened to their song. Three Lights…"

Miya leaned in with interest. "Did you know them?"

"Mm hmm," Venus nodded. "They went to my high school. I was even their assistant for a little while. Gah! I was such a crazy fan back then! I wonder why they never came back to visit?" She opened the case to retrieve the disc inside, then stood and weaved her way through the disarranged office searching for a CD player. Soon the smooth notes of _Nagareboshi He_, the same song Miya had heard at the concert in the 20th century, flowed into the room. The soft jazz was soon joined by three voices in harmony. The song was at once soothing, and for the two people in the room, incited two very different feelings.

Miya opened the lyric booklet to find individual portraits of the singers. In Taiki's picture he wore a cream-colored sweater, looking back over his shoulder. Yaten gazed off into the distance, resting chin on hand while the camera captured his perfect profile. In Seiya's portrait he wore a loose blue dress shirt as he leaned forward, gazing directly into the camera lens. The look of his eyes was so intense and the picture captured their depth so fully, Miya they had come alive and were gazing at her from the paper. '_He's looking at me…'_

Venus came back to seat herself beside Miya on the floor again. For now, the piles of boxes and all thoughts of remodeling were entirely forgotten. Miya had never really spoken with the Princess Venus before today – she only knew her face from passing in the halls. And she knew that the blonde was a senshi, like all the other princesses, but that was it. Looking at her now, with her chin propped on the heel of her hand as she listened to the song, Miya thought she looked more like a lovesick teenager than a princess or soldier.

"What were they like?" For all the time Miya had spent thinking about Seiya in the past day or so, she realized she knew very little about him.

"Hmm? Well, all three of them were great guys," Venus began. "Although Yaten could get a bit moody at times. But that was all part of his charm. I think I loved him even more when he brushed me off like that! But he was sweet down inside… though I don't think he'd ever admit it.  Poor guy, he was going through so much back then."

Miya wasn't really interested in talking about Yaten. "What about Seiya?"

"Ah, well Seiya was always a flirt, you know. Even so, I think he only had eyes for one girl. She never loved him back, though. I think it hurt him deeply, even if he tried not to show it. But Seiya managed to be deeply devoted to both her and his mission."

"Mission?" Miya inquired.

"Eh! Um… well, that is…" the blonde stalled.

"Tell me! Tell me!"

"Okay," Venus relented, and added in a conspiratorial whisper. "But it's a secret." Miya's eyes brightened eagerly at the prospect of a secret concerning Seiya.

"You see," Venus lifted the CD case so the cover image stared back at them, "they weren't really idols. They were -_senshi-._"

"You mean… Sailor Senshi?"

Venus nodded. Miya had to admit she was confused. She tried to rectify the image of the men on stage with the image of a Sailor Senshi as she knew them – women in short sailor suits – and it didn't add up. But perhaps Sailor Senshi came in all different kinds. After all, she didn't have any reason to doubt Venus' words.

"They came to Earth looking for their Princess, and when they found her, they helped the Sol senshi defeat the evil of Chaos. Then they returned home again, and most of their fans just thought they disbanded, and never even knew the whole truth."

So that was the mysterious princess they called out to in their songs. So Seiya was a senshi. But one thing Venus had said now whirled in her mind like a dizzying storm. "He wasn't… from Earth?"

"No, he wasn't."

Both females jumped at the third voice. They turned to see Setsuna standing in the center of the office. "Setsuna-san!" Venus leapt to her feet and stuck an awkward arm behind her head. "It's, uh… kind of a mess in here."

"Quite obviously," Setsuna deadpanned. "Minako, have you seen Serenity? I wanted to speak with her today. Truthfully, there was someone I wanted her to meet."

"Aaah," the blonde scratched her head. "She told me she was going on an all-day shopping excursion. You know, something to help her relax. She left pretty early. Should I try to reach her on her cell phone?"

"No, that's not necessary," Setsuna replied. Inwardly, she sighed. '_She's running away again.' _Contemplating her many thoughts, the Time Guardian lower her eyes to Miya once more. Kneeling beside the girl, she took the Three Lights CD and studied for several long seconds. Finally she spoke, her decision made.

"Miya-chan… how would you like to visit your father's planet?"


	8. Guess who? Surprises

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:4-19-03 Chapter ended: 5-07-03

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own. 

Note: I hope it doesn't seem like I'm carrying Miya's obsession with Seiya too far and giving her Chibiusa-syndrome. She's not in love with him or anything like that and she doesn't wanna be his girlfriend. -_-;; It's just that because she's never had a father before, she feels this deep want to know him and have him love her, so she's almost idolizing him in the way children sometimes do, even though she hasn't even spoken with him yet. That's all. :P

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***Chapter 7***

-_Guess Who? Surprises-_

Tomorrow. Tomorrow night she would leave. Miya lay on her back, staring up into the darkness of her bedroom, wide awake. How could she sleep when there were so many things to think about, so many things to wonder still? 

In two days, she would meet with her father. (Setsuna informed her the journey would take at least a day.) Would he remember her from the 20th century? Would he be happy to see her? Miya was sure he would. For whenever she imagined their meeting he would greet her with a smile, and then she would embrace him in her dreams…

_~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~_

Setsuna knew the risk she was taking. By not telling the Queen, she was surely setting herself up to face Serenity's wrath. Even if she did wield great knowledge and controlled the sentinels of Time, Setsuna knew her place, and usually she would be the last one to commit any slightest act of disloyalty. But for her own hidden reasons, Serenity would not act on her own.

The longer a secret is kept hidden in the shadows of one's heart, the harder it becomes to finally reveal it. Setsuna understood that all too well. But if she reveal herself only to the child, no one else need know. No, there was something deeper in Serenity's hesitation to meet the girl. What did she fear? Rejection? Sooner or later the truth would have to be told. And now, Setsuna told herself, she only wanted to avoid greater pain in each one's heart. If this was how she must do it, so be it.

No one else knew, of course, and Setsuna wasn't so brash as to betray the Queen's secret to the world. As far as the Princess Venus was concerned, Miya was Seiya's daughter and nothing else. A hint of amusement passed through the Time Guardian's eyes as she remembered the morning's conversation.

            _"H – hey, wait a minute! 'Father's planet?' You can't mean that Miya… and Seiya…"_

_            Setsuna nodded silently, as Venus' mouth dropped open._

_            "Seiya had a…"_

_            Setsuna nodded again._

_            "Don't tell me Yaten has a…"_

_            Setsuna shook her head negative._

_            "But Seiya has a…"_

_            Setsuna placed a single finger to her lips. "You understand, Minako, that this is something that shouldn't be told to just anyone. Particularly Serenity, for reasons I think you can figure out."_

Venus had nodded as if she understood, even though she didn't completely. She assumed that Setsuna referred to the close friendship which Seiya and Usagi had enjoyed years ago, and that Usagi might be hurt if she knew of this secret. In any case, she was still too stunned at this point to do anything but agree.

Whether the girl would put two and two together in the next few days and deduce who Miya's mother might be, and whether she broke her pact and did speak with Serenity, it couldn't matter to Setsuna. Serenity would know soon enough, if Seiya did as Setsuna expected her to, and brought the child back to Tokyo to speak with her once-lover.

If that happened, who knew what sort of storm these winds of the past might stir up again. And that was another risk Setsuna was more than willing to take.

_~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~_

She felt her body growing slowly heavier, her eyelids wanting to fall shut, in the bubble-like capsule where she was enclosed. Setsuna had told her since the journey would take nearly a whole day, it would be easier and less stressful on her if she were to sleep for the entire trip. The older woman had already given her all the instructions she would need, such as what to do on the unlikely occasion that the capsule should begin to malfunction. It was set on autopilot to drop her just outside the palace on Kinmokusei, and Setsuna assured her the princess there would be able to lead her to her father. All preparations were made and her transport was ready to go, now the only thing left… was to fall asleep.

As the sedatives inside the bubble's air did their work, Miya felt a smile cross her face. She lifted her hand in a 'V' sign for victory to Setsuna, who stood outside the capsule's clear walls. The last thing she saw was Setsuna's smile and her two fingers raised to return the gesture, as the capsule began to rise upwards…

When she opened her eyes again she was looking down on a vast green world that was not Earth. The land below her was spread with mostly a deep green vegetation. Here and there the blue jewel of a lake stood out or an orange-red mountain rose toward the sky. And gathered in big and small clusters were brown cities that looked like drawings on a map from way up here.

Miya shook the sleepiness from her head and stood, pressing her hands against the wall of her capsule, which continued to descend steadily toward one of the largest cities. She couldn't help being awed by its beauty. For a girl who had grown up in the crowded metropolis of Tokyo, seeing so much pure green land spread out beneath her was incredible. _So this is Kinmokusei_.

Before long, it was clear to see exactly where her transport was taking her. The bubble moved on autopilot toward the huge structure on the outskirts of the city – the palace. As she drew closer she was able see the intricate architecture and ornamental design of the palace building. It was truly impressive, in an exotic and beautiful way – very different from the beauty of Tokyo's Crystal Palace yet just as breathtaking. Huge red-brown columns, entwined with delicate vine, rose up in front to support the curved roof, while behind that the building towered even higher, sprawling out in several different directions. Silver-trimmed windows and edgings gleamed gold in the dying sunlight. As she admired the majesty of all this, Miya's bubble came to hover high over a small enclosed garden attached to the palace. And then it popped.

With a startled scream Miya fell six feet into the thick branches of a tree. "Owwwww…" she whined as she attempted to untangle herself from the sharp limbs that scraped her arms and face, and was rewarded with a branch that slapped her squarely in the face. "Stupid capsule, what kind of landing is that?" she ranted. "You took me all this way, and you couldn't at least drop me nicely in the flower bed?! Oh no! You have to drop me in the TREE!" She continued to struggle and got slapped with yet another branch. "I can't believe this! _Kuso_! Whatever Setsuna paid for that piece of junk, she got RIPPED OFF!" Her words were then cut off when the flimsy tree branch that had been supporting most of her weight cracked underneath her and Miya plummeted to the ground with another scream. With an "oof!" she landed unhurt (besides a bruised elbow and a good chunk of her pride) in the topsoil below.

"Sure… now I land in the flower bed," she muttered. She stood and brushed the dirt off her blue capris, taking the chance to survey her surroundings. It looked surprisingly like a semi-tropical garden on Earth, obviously well-tended. She closed her eyes and took in her first deep breath of Kinmokusei air. _Smells so beautiful…_

 No one seemed to be around, so gathering courage as she went, Miya skipped across the flower beds towards the palace building, feeling a heady mix of trepidation and nervous exhilaration.

_~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~_

Deep inside the ornamental halls of the palace, a single pair of black heels clicked against the jade floor, echoing and fading just as quickly into the stillness. Then they silenced, when their owner paused for a moment in the wide doorway that opened into the expansive main throne room. "Princess? You asked for us?"

The red-haired beauty smiled. At her side already was one of her three guardian soldiers, Sailor Star Maker, a tall auburn-haired woman with cool grace. Her violet eyes turned toward the door as the second soldier entered.

"Forgive me, Healer, it's nothing of importance," the princess began.

"The Princess is lonely for company," Maker spoke with a wry smile.

"Mou… Maker," Kakyuu chided demurely.

Sailor Star Healer was the silver-haired, emerald-eyed member of the Starlights, smallest but quite often deadliest of the three. She approached the other two as a grin crept over her face. "Is that all? You interrupted my beauty sleep and it's not even a matter of dire emergency?"

Maker cocked an eyebrow at her fellow soldier. "You were sleeping on duty?"

"I merely thought you might wish to know of the progress with the remodeling, since it does affect the area of the palace where your quarters are," Kakyuu spoke. 

"Ah, that's good. I hope the crews are finished soon. It's getting to be a pain," Healer replied.

"But neither of our suites are affected by it," Maker pointed out.

"I know, but they've torn out part of the wall in the hallway and I have to walk by it everyday. It's ugly."

"Only you would find that an inconvenience, Healer." The owner of the fourth voice stepped up to join her three companions. Curly black bangs and cobalt eyes characterized Sailor Star Fighter's boyish face, and she wore the same low ponytail and black leather uniform as her fellow soldiers. A hint of amusement passed her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"In any case, I've been told the remodeling crews should be finished within the week," the princess said. "So you'll only need to bear it for a little while longer, Healer." She raised an eyebrow at the silver-haired Starlight as she spoke.

"I didn't say I couldn't bear it," Healer pouted at the princess' mild remonstration.

"Perhaps if the construction bothers you so, you could move into the Princess' room," Maker teased. "And then she wouldn't have to call useless meetings simply because she craves company."

"Now, now, wouldn't Kakyuu-sama's husband be jealous if he knew she was sharing her bed with someone else while he's away?" Fighter added, more than willing to join the playful ribbing.

"Why of course not," Healer spoke with a smile, resting her head cutely on Kakyuu's shoulder. "It's common knowledge that I'm the Princess' mistress."

Kakyuu's musical laugh sweetened the room at Healer's comment, while Fighter took the opportunity to roll her eyes at Maker. "I'm not sure Kaoru would take that so well," the princess laughed. "Although I'd be more than honored to have you as a mistress, my dear. We'll just keep it from my husband, shall we?" After a moment she continued on a more serious note. "But there was another reason I asked you to come here."

"Forgive my interruption, your Highness," a servant standing in the doorway broke into the conversation.

"What is it?" the princess asked calmly.

"It's, well…" the man hesitated as if unsure how to explain something. "There was a young girl found outside the palace, my lady."

"A girl?"

"That's right. One of the gardeners says he swears he saw her fall from the sky… but she doesn't seem dangerous at all. She won't tell anything about herself… she only insists that she wants to speak to you, Princess. She won't say her name or where she comes from… "

"Bring her in," Kakyuu instructed, her lovely brow furrowed curiously.

With a bow the servant left and reappeared soon after. But the eyes of everyone in the room were now focused on the dark-headed child about ten years old that was following behind him.  The servant bowed again to the princess and left the room, leaving the girl to approach the four Kinmokuseijin women on her own. She wore loose blue capri pants with a flower-print design, tennis shoes, and a white t-shirt with a cartoon frog printed on the front. _Earth clothes_, were Healer's immediate thoughts. _But what were the odds?_

Miya put one foot in front of the other telling herself not to be afraid. The red-haired woman in the long formal dress, who had to be the princess, looked beautiful and kind. Surely she would help her. She dared to glance up once to meet the woman's fire-red eyes and she smiled. Blushing, Miya felt a sudden warmth flow through her and she quickly looked down again, focusing on the princess' skirt and nothing else. When she reached the spot where they stood, she dipped into an awkward curtsy like she had been taught to do should she happen to pass the King or Queen in the halls of the Crystal Palace back home.

"Greetings, Princess, and I humbly beg your favor. I apologize for the interruption of my presence, and I hope that you are feeling well. I am Kawabe Miya and I ask that you graciously accept me," she recited with eyes level to the floor, one of her mother's "polite" greetings, and one which she had been practicing over and over in her head since she entered the palace.

"Welcome, Miya." The kindness in the princess' voice gave Miya the courage to finally look upwards. "What may I do for you?"

"I – I want to find my father."

"Your father?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I will do my best to help you. What is your father's name?"

"His name is Seiya Kou."

A weighted silence accompanied that name and fell across the throne room and its occupants. Miya waited expectantly. As she did, she studied up close for the first time the three people who stood behind the princess. They each wore the same odd ensemble of thigh-high boots, gloves, shorts, and bikini top, all in black leather and adorned with accessories. And in their faces… there was something familiar in them that she couldn't place.

"Seiya Kou?" Healer finally broke the astonished pause. "But that would be impossible…"

"Young lady, are you sure you aren't mistaken?" Maker was just as incredulous. "There's no way Seiya could be your… unless…" She trailed off as her mind worked to consider the far-fetched possibility.

"Fighter?" 

Only Kakyuu had seen the face of her lead warrior grow suddenly pale. At the soft mention of her name, Fighter's eyes tore away from the child and met the knowing face of the princess. By now Healer and Maker had both turned to confront their companion.

"It was just… just one time," Fighter's lips moved as her eyes traveled once more to the child who was looking innocently up at her. 

"Then you mean that… on Earth…?" Maker spoke, waiting her friend to offer the explanation she hoped would come. __

Healer was quicker to jump to the one inevitable conclusion her mind reached. "_Usagi?!_" Fighter's silent look spoke everything. 

"Shit, why didn't you tell us about any of this!!"

"Well, I didn't know there was a _kid_!" she snapped back at the silver-haired woman. 

"But still… you and Usagi!!"

"Did Usagi send you here, Miya-chan?" Maker looked down at the pigtailed girl.

"Who is Usagi?"

The room fell dead silent once again. Fighter balked under her two comrades' inquiring looks. "I don't know what she's talking about! There was no one else, I swear!"

"What if the kid's not even telling the truth?" Healer said, adding aside to Fighter, "Even if she's not, I still have a bone to pick with you about this." Fighter simply cast her a sullen look in response. 

"Now, now," Kakyuu held out her arms for calm. "Perhaps we should let Miya-chan speak before this becomes a misunderstanding. What is your mother's name, dear?"

Miya stared back at the princess with the realization that she didn't know her birth mother's name. She had never asked, and Setsuna had never said. "I – I don't know my real mother's name," she admitted. "I only know my adopted mom's."

"So she is Seiya's child?" Healer questioned, getting confused by the moment.

Fighter ignored the question and stepped past the other two toward Miya. There was something about this girl that seemed so familiar, that drew Fighter to her. Something that made her think she might really be who she said she was.

As the raven-haired woman stepped toward her, Miya couldn't shake the odd feeling of nervousness. And then she knew why she was so familiar. The curled black hair and the same piercing blue eyes – it seemed almost absurd, but could she be… _Seiya's sister_?

"Do you know Seiya Kou?" she asked the woman who looked so much like her father.

Fighter looked down at her several seconds before touching her hand to the star brooch at her chest. As the leather uniform faded into casual trousers and blouse, she knelt in front of the young girl.

"I am Seiya Kou," she replied.


	9. Staring the Past in the Face

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:5-08-03 Chapter ended: 5-28-03

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own. 

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***Chapter 8***

- _Staring the Past in the Face-_

Miya looked into the woman's eyes hoping to find some kind of truth to confirm what she'd said. This was different from what she'd expected. This person claiming to be her father did look so much like Seiya – only a little different, and a little older – but otherwise she would have no doubt that it was Seiya except… "You're a woman."

"Umm…" Seiya rubbed her face in a nervous reflex, "yeah, there's a long story behind that…" She wasn't sure quite what to say. Was this really her and Usagi's child? It seemed all too surreal to believe. She looked into Miya's face searching for a way to deny it but all she saw were Odango's eyes. It had been close to ten years since she said goodbye to the dumpling-headed angel on the school rooftop and flew home, but the memory was clear as that day. And now those same innocent blue eyes were staring back at her from the face of a nine-year-old child claiming to be… her child. _My child? I'm a… father?_

"I guess that's okay," Miya said, and then she smiled. She had come this far and waited this long to find her father, she couldn't turn him away now, even if _he_ was really _her_. Even if Seiya wasn't a man, she was still Seiya… her papa. She had the same blue depth in her eyes as the boy she had met in the 20th century. Suddenly on impulse Miya threw her arms around her in an embrace.

Taken off guard at first, Seiya eventually, though more hesitantly, returned the gesture. "I guess this is… 'Nice to meet you', huh?" She took Miya by the shoulders and held her at arm's length. A coil of uncertain emotion was beginning to wind in her chest, and she was still too in shock to know what action to take next. At twenty-six she still knew nothing of parenthood or even how to react to this new daughter, already half-grown, and a complete stranger. A panicked choke was rising in her throat until Seiya felt she could hardly breathe. _Father?… father… daughter…Odango…_

She raked a nervous hand through jet-black curls, suddenly standing up. After a moment's hesitation, she turned her back on Miya and walked quickly toward the door.

Before she could reach the hallway, Healer barked, "Seiya, where are you going?" 

"I need whiskey," was the dead response she got before the other woman disappeared. 

An awkward exchange of glances commenced among those left behind in the room. Miya looked from the princess to the others somewhat doubting the status of her welcome at this point.

Kakyuu spoke with a smile toward Miya. "Healer, why don't you show Miya-chan to a room? If she's going to be staying with us, we want to make sure that she's comfortably situated, ne?"

"Hai," Healer nodded. "Come on, Chibi, follow me. I'll show you to your bedroom."

Once the two had gone from the room, Maker spoke. "Do you think she truly is Seiya's daughter?"

"Only one person knows that, Maker."

The taller woman suddenly turned toward her princess. "By the way, Princess, what was the second thing you wanted to tell us?"

"I was considering arranging a diplomatic mission to Alpha Centauri at the end of this week, and having the Starlights come with me. And on our way back… I thought the three of you might enjoy a visit to Earth..."

_~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~_

All around the perimeter of the palace were many small gardens, which bloomed with life during the warm season, so that a quilt of floral color was in view of every window. It was one of these gardens where Miya had first landed. And it was another such place where Taiki found Seiya half an hour later leaning against the railing of the veranda looking out at the shrubbery below. The mild night air surrounded and warmed both of them. 

"Thinking?"

Seiya half-turned when the voice broke into her thoughts, then resumed her outlook of the gardens once more. "Ah."

 The brunette noted the long-necked bottle beside her friend, but took second thought on commenting on it. Instead she stepped toward the railing on the other side of Seiya. "Usagi really never told you?"

"I thought that was obvious enough," Seiya deadpanned, then changed her tone. "Gomen, Taiki, I really don't know what to think right now."

"At least Miya seems to have accepted you."

"I suppose so." It was true that the girl had been so quickly willing to accept Seiya's true identity, with no questions asked. How ironic was it that Seiya was suddenly reminded of Usagi, and her constant willingness to embrace all. Usagi had still loved her, even after she knew the truth. Only not in the way Seiya had wanted her to. But there were things that still nagged at her mind. "Why now? Why wait so long to tell me?"

Taiki didn't have an answer, but she had her own questions. "I can't really say. Are we even sure that this is Usagi's child, though?"

Seiya looked toward her as if the idea of questioning it was preposterous. Deep in her own mind there had been no doubt from the moment Miya spoke the name of the father she was searching for. She felt such a connection with the girl, so much that it frightened her at first. "Why would I have any reason to doubt?"

A hint of an amused smile passed Taiki's face. "You know me… never satisfied until I have the solid facts."

"What is that?" Seiya frowned at the white plastic package that Taiki pulled out of her pocket.

"DNA test."

"Are you kidding me?" One eyebrow shot up skeptically. 

"Do you want to know for sure or not?"

Seiya shrugged. "Well… do it if you like. I already know what your results will be. I can't expect you to understand, but I felt something about her… a bond, you know? Like she was a part of myself I never knew I'd lost. And her aura… shines so much like Odango's."

Taiki nodded while she brought out the contents of the package, laying each piece on the railing. She thought she could understand what Seiya meant, to some extent. She wasn't blind, and she had seen the resemblance in Miya to both Usagi and Seiya, although that wasn't quite enough to win over her scientific mind. It wasn't her affair, of course, but she wanted to do it more for Seiya's sake than her own. Neither said a word while Taiki got the testing kit ready.

"God, couldn't you find a bigger needle?" Seiya commented sarcastically, eyeing the large instrument warily. Nevertheless she offered her arm to the brunette's mercy.

"I must say," Taiki spoke as she swabbed a spot on Seiya's arm with antiseptic, "Even I was quite surprised by today's revelations of the past."

"About Usagi and I?" Seiya shrugged it off in hopes of avoiding the discussion. "It wasn't a big deal."

"Ah, I see." But her calm tone revealed that she didn't quite buy that explanation.

"What?" Seiya suddenly felt a need to be defensive. "C'mon, don't tell me you and Mizuno-san never went at it in the computer labs late at nigh-AH!" Seiya let out a cry as Taiki suddenly stuck a needle roughly in her arm. "Geez, you could be a little gentler!"

"Please, it was hardly a prick," Taiki said, taking the needle back and recapping it once she'd drawn a sufficient amount of blood. 

"A little warning would have been nice. Anyways, can't you do this thing with hair or spit? Or do you just have vampiric tendencies?"

"Blood is the only way I know how. I've only done a few of these in the past. You know, maybe I should do a blood-alcohol count while I'm at it."

"I'm not drunk, Taiki. Geez, look at this, I'm still bleeding," she declared, pressing a thumb into her pinprick wound to stop the flow.

"Seriously, Seiya," Taiki laughed, "Miya was more of an adult about this than you are being. I didn't hear a peep from her."

"Who gave you permission to start jabbing my daughter with needles?"

"Ah, so you can't speak two sentences to her, but suddenly you're an overprotective father."

Seiya looked out on the garden sullenly, not really appreciating Taiki's perceived accusation. "I panicked, okay?"

"I know." The taller woman's tone was now sympathetic as she leaned on the railing beside Seiya.

"Where is she now?" Seiya asked with a hint of inner guilt for walking away.

"Yaten showed her to a bedroom. I'm sure she's settled in nicely by now." She paused for a moment before adding, "What are you going to do?"

"Let her stay here for a little while… then take her back to Earth eventually, I suppose."

Taiki nodded in agreement. Beyond the veranda the first firefly of the night rose from the bushes. Gradually, one after another followed, until they were a gathering of living, dancing stars blinking in the dark garden. Finally Taiki broke the long silence. "Well, it's getting late…" With only that excuse, she retreated into the building leaving Seiya alone with her thoughts.

Despite Taiki's earlier comment, she hadn't touched the contents of the bottle beside her tonight. Now Seiya wound long fingers around the glass cylinder and tipped it back once, grimacing when the bitter liquid stung her throat. She pulled the bottle back and let it dangle from her hand just below the railing. 

Inadvertently Seiya's thoughts had drifted to the past. With Miya's appearance, so many memories were suddenly forced to resurface – memories she had spent ten years trying to bury. She thought she had succeeded in burying them. She thought they were gone forever. One night of passion so many years ago… she told herself it didn't matter. She told herself it wasn't important. 

Suddenly that one night had become one child's entire life. 

_Her _child's.

Seiya was no stranger to responsibility, but that wasn't what bothered her. Why had Usagi never contacted her? Didn't she deserve to at least know? For all these years she'd had no idea… why now, so suddenly? Even if she hadn't yet fully accepted the fact that she had a daughter, Seiya felt almost as if she had been robbed of something that should have been hers nine years ago. Miya was half-grown now, and Seiya had been out of the loop for so long, she felt like a stranger. No, she _was_ a stranger.

But then… was that kind of awkward separated-parents relationship the kind she would have wanted with Usagi? Or was she fooling herself that things might have changed between them if she'd only known? Had this been the best way?

In a release of built-up emotion, she flung the bottle from her hand so that it shattered against a tree in the near distance. Pieces of glass scattered and fell in the grass among the spilled alcohol. _Odango… why didn't you tell me?_

"Seiya?"

The voice cut into Seiya's thought's and she spun to find Taiki standing in the doorway again. "I forgot to tell you," the tall brunette spoke, "I finished your wrap-up duties for tonight, so you don't need to worry about that."

"Ah, thanks."

"Miya-chan is probably sleeping by now."

"That's true, I suppose." Seiya was disappointed that she wouldn't see the girl again tonight, and relieved at the same time because she had no idea what she was going say to her.

Taiki turned to walk away again, but stopped halfway in her tracks, hesitantly. "Um… do you mind if I ask something?" Normally she wouldn't have pried into the matter, but a lifelong friendship with Seiya gave her confidence to do otherwise. Not to mention the curiosity was killing her.

"What is it?"

"It was the night you walked her home in the rain, wasn't it? The night Usagi was attacked on the roof."

There were several seconds of silence before a cryptic smile tugged at one corner of Seiya's mouth. "If you knew, why did you ask?"

"You never came home that night. You didn't say anything back then, and I didn't ask, even if I wondered. I suddenly remembered it today."

"Congratulations. You're correct."

"Gomen, it's none of my business, really."

"Don't think of it."

"But didn't you even think to use protection?"

"Pro-?" Seiya blinked once then her face molded into an annoyed expression. "God, Taiki, it's a little late for the safe sex lecture, don't you think?"

"True, true. Just promise me you'll use a condom next time."

Seiya stared blankly at her friend, until she noticed the familiar twinkle in the other woman's eyes. After all, how was she going to use a condom now that she was female? Seiya laughed in spite of herself, feeling the comfort in Taiki's good-natured dry humor. "I'll do that next time," she spoke wryly, "Thanks for the tip."

"No problem." The brunette turned with a half-grin. "Good night."

After Taiki had disappeared, Seiya pushed herself away from the railing and followed her inside. It _was_ getting late, and she might as well retire. She wondered if Miya would be sleeping or not. Standing in the hallway looking down at the long line of doors that were guest bedrooms and the Starlights' own living quarters, Seiya debated whether or not to visit her tonight, hesitance and desire to see her pulling her in two different directions. She didn't know which bedroom the girl would be occupying… and there were close to fifty spare rooms in this wing of the palace. She was probably tired from traveling, and had fallen right asleep…

In the end, Seiya's mind told her not to disturb the girl tonight. It wasn't without some lingering indecision that she laid a heavy hand on the doorknob to her own suite and entered. Slippers flew from her feet, one hitting the wall and another coming to rest near a cushion-chair on the floor. She bumped her shin on a clothes basket in the middle of the floor and kicked it away harshly, taking out the confusion of the evening on the innocent container. Grabbing a nightshirt hung haphazardly across the back of a chair, she began to undo the top buttons of her blouse.

That's when she saw the person sitting on her bed. 

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

^^;; Heh… I know what everybody was asking for was the Miya-Seiya interaction, and there was supposed to be another scene in this chapter, but it didn't turn out that way, as you see. So, sorry for keeping you waiting again, and hope this chapter isn't too boring. They _will _talk in the next chapter, I promise. Soooo…Thank you to all my readers and reviewers! ^_^ *hands out candy to everyone and runs away to bed*

(I seriously think it was a bad idea to start using chapter titles. I can't think of any! This one is lame. Come to think of it, they all are…)

P.S. Public service announcement of the week: Listen to Taiki, kiddies, and use those condoms. Seiya is a bad, bad role model. ^_~


	10. Getting to Know You

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:5-29-03 Chapter ended: 6-21-03

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own. 

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***Chapter 9***

- _Getting to Know You-_

Her fingers froze on the buttons at the realization that she wasn't alone in the room. Wide blue eyes silently blinked back at Seiya from where Miya sat exactly in the middle of the bed.

Seiya hadn't expected to face her until tomorrow, so she was caught quite off guard. "Eh… oh, gomen. I thought… I thought Yaten would show you your own room..."

"She did, but I didn't want to be alone in the dark."

"Oh…You're afraid of the dark?"

The girl shook her head so her pigtails swung back and forth. "I'm not afraid," she stated. "I just don't like big rooms by myself."

"Ah… right. That's okay, I guess." _She won't even admit she's afraid. She acts like such an adult. _Not sure what else to say, she finally turned away toward the bathroom to finish dressing.

"You don't like me, do you?" The child's matter-of-fact voice pierced straight through Seiya's heart. She stopped dead still on the carpet. Inwardly, Seiya winced. Why was she saying and doing all the wrong things in the short time since she'd met Miya? Did the girl really think she hated her? It had all been such a shock, she still didn't know what to say or think.

Seiya moved back to the bed and sat on the edge, pulling in a slow breath and releasing it softly. "Gomen ne, Miya-chan," she looked at the girl seated on her mattress. "You'll have to forgive me. I've… never been a parent before, so I don't really know what I'm doing. So… if I act weird or something, that's probably why. To tell the truth, I like you quite a bit." She felt a small smile creep across her features. _I just might get to like this parenting thing yet._

Miya looked down at her hands pressed into the sheet, nervous and happy at the same time. "Ano… I like you too."

Seiya felt her mind relax at the girl's hesitant words. "Um… then are you really alright with me being female?"

"It's okay." She looked up nodding. "And now that I think about it, the Princess Saturn always calls the Princess Uranus her papa. So it's not like I'm the only one. I wouldn't mind anyway."

_The Princess Uranus?_ Of course. Haruka. How could she ever forget Haruka? But she never thought the day would come when she'd be able to find common ground with the stubborn senshi of sky. Seiya chuckled at the irony. "Then it looks like we have nothing to worry about."

"So may I stay in your room?"

"Certainly you may."

"Arigatou!"

Seiya couldn't help but laugh at the girl's bright smile. "You know, you're actually pretty cute."

"Hey!" Miya protested having her nose tweaked.

"Of course I wouldn't expect anything less from a child of mine." She smirked, standing up again. "Did you bring pajamas?" Miya shook her head negative. Seiya tossed the nightshirt that was still in her hands. It landed on Miya's head, cloaking her eyes for a second until she pulled it off. "Go ahead and wear that. It might be a bit big."

"Hai!"

Seiya retreated into the bathroom while Miya dressed. She splashed water on her face and dried it with a towel, then reached for a toothbrush, all the while thoughts were still running through her head. Even though it still a little strange, Miya shined so bright, Seiya couldn't help but love her already. _Just like her mother. _But Miya had never met Usagi. Isn't that what she'd said?

She continued brushing her teeth. Then suddenly it struck Seiya hard in the stomach. The reason Miya didn't know Usagi.

She straightened immediately and walked back toward the door, mind roaring with possibilities. Miya had changed into the baggy nightshirt and was now working at unraveling her braids, sitting cross-legged on the bed. "Miya-chan." The girl looked up at Seiya's reappearance in the doorway and smiled.

Seiya didn't smile back. "You said you had never met your real mother ... Is that because she is dead?"

Miya blinked as the smile faded, finally shaking her head. "Mm-mm. Setsuna promised I could meet her. So I know she's still alive." 

Seiya wasn't sure whether to melt from relief or trans-galaxy telephone Usagi right that second and demand to know where she was and what had happened in the past ten years. So she did neither and simply stuck the toothbrush back in her mouth and walked back into the bathroom. She decided to push the confusing thoughts from her mind for tonight and emerged several seconds later in T-shirt and boxers. She stopped at the foot of the bed and laughed.

"Nani?" Miya wondered what she'd done. 

"You're swimming in that." Seiya referred to the oversized nightshirt that had engulfed the young girl from the neck down. She had just noticed how large it actually was. 

"Eh?" she looked down at herself. Miya plucked at the fabric and then burst into giggles. "It's kinda big…"

"Let me see if I can find you something else." After a minute or so Miya was re-dressed in another shirt of Seiya's, still slightly big but a little more comfortable. "Ready for bed now?"

"Yep!" she bounced to the head of the bed.

"Umm… you don't wet the bed, do you?"

Miya had the grace to look offended. "Of course I don't. I'm NINE years old, you know!"

"Right, sorry." Seiya didn't know the first thing about children. How was she to know a nine-year-old wouldn't wet the bed? Miya slid under the sheets while Seiya shut off the lights, leaving the nightstand lamp on dim in case Miya really was afraid of the dark. Besides, she wasn't ready to sleep just yet. She settled into the other side of the bed, letting her head fall against the soft support of the pillow as her eyes met the ceiling. For a while neither person spoke.

"Is my mom's name really Usagi?" Miya's voice finally replaced the silence.

"Yep, it is."

"That's a funny name."

Seiya laughed a little. "You think so? It suited her, in its own way."

"I have an _usagi_. His name is George."

The mattress jiggled when Seiya laughed yet again. Not at Miya, but simply because she was in a good mood, and Miya's word connection struck her as funny. "Is that so?"

"Yep. He's all white. But Setsuna said I couldn't bring him here because the trip might over-stress him."

"That's probably true. I'm sure he's happy at home. I'd like to meet George someday. He sounds like an interesting guy."

"I'll introduce you!"

"Then I'll definitely look forward to it. Now this George guy, is he going to like me?"

Miya propped her head on her arm against the pillow as she pondered it for a second. "I think he will. The only person he doesn't like is Tomozawa-san, and that's because she yells at him," she said, wrinkling her nose. "But he always likes people who I like."

Seiya turned her head to face Miya's, shifting her position so their bodies faced and propping her head up with her elbow. Father and daughter contemplated each other for a few moments in the lamplight. "You said you were nine, right? When is your birthday?"

"July twenty-second, 1998," the girl recited.

 If Seiya had any doubt at all, it was gone. She took a moment to figure it and, the dates added up perfectly. "Ne, tell me about yourself," Seiya spoke. There were so many things she wanted to know. Suddenly she wanted Miya to tell her everything.

"Like what?"

"Anything."

"Okay, well…" Miya shifted, plucking a piece of lint off the pillow. "Um… I live with my mama – my adopted mom, you know – in the apartments connected to the palace. I've lived there since I was really little, I think. We live there 'cause my mom's one of the palace staff… she's in charge of the housekeeping and stuff like that. So I always get to play in the palace while she's working… me and George, of course. And then there's Setsuna… "

_~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~_

A pair of birds twittered loudly on the sun-touched windowsill, blissfully unaware that it was far too early to be up and making such cheerful noise when people preferred to be sleeping. Seiya half-opened her eyes nonetheless, squinting at the light of dawn that was leaking into the bedroom. Then she tugged at the blankets to pull them back over her head and plunge herself back into darkness. The only thing she got when she did that was something that hit her hard against the head.

Suddenly wide awake with the idea that an intruder had entered her room, Seiya snapped by reflex into defensive mode, flipping over to confront him with a surprise attack. She stopped short when her eyes fell on the 'intruder', sleeping peacefully curled around a pillow. Somehow Miya had managed to turn upside down in bed and had kicked Seiya in the head when someone had tried to steal her blanket. Seiya felt her muscles melt into relaxation when she saw the girl and remembered the events of last night. They had stayed up for the better half of the night, just talking and getting to know each other. Her hand reached out to brush the loose raven tresses from the sleeping girl's face. She looked so grown up, but so small and vulnerable at the same time. Seiya could hardly believe she was her own flesh and blood. Now that they had finally met, there were still so many things she wanted to know. For now, though, she found herself content to have her here, an emotion which surprised her. _For as long as I can, Miya-chan, I want to protect you._

Reaching around, she jerked the curtains shut, banning the morning sunlight from the room. She fell back on the pillow, closing her eyes once again and welcoming a few more minutes in the soft comfort of the bed. Until something soft flattened her nose against her face. Seiya opened her eyes to a size 3 foot. This wasn't going to work. She gathered her pillow and flipped upside down, parallel to Miya. In that position she fell back asleep, one hand resting on her daughter's shoulder for security.

_~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~_

Sorry for the short chapter. It's harder to write as much as I'd like to now that I'm working 40-hour weeks this summer. -_-; So thanks for being patient.

Love you all,

Abigail


	11. Breakfast

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Moonchild aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:6-21-03 Chapter ended: 

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own. 

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

***Chapter 10***

-_Breakfast-_

"Ohayo, Fighter."

"Ohayo, Kakyuu Princess," Seiya greeted with a respectful bow.

"You seem to be in a fine mood this morning," the princess smiled.

"I am? I hadn't noticed." She had woken again after an hour or so extra sleep and gotten dressed to make her routine security rounds around the palace, her walk around the building's perimeter that had been almost a ritual for as long as she had been the Princess' soldier.

"Where is your guest at the moment?"

"Still sleeping. I didn't see a reason to wake her yet."

"That's fine. I'm sure the dear girl needs her rest. Once your finished, do come join us for breakfast, Fighter."

"I won't be late," the senshi promised. As she turned, Seiya thought she saw, or perhaps felt, the princess hesitate, as if there was something more she wished to say. But instead, Kakyuu's lips simply curled in a small smile that Seiya could never doubt was sincere, and with a mere nod she left to wait for Starlights to join her in the breakfast room.

Seiya punched in her report that everything was alright – the same way it had been in all the years after Galaxia's attack. Since returning from Earth they had had nothing but peace, with the exception of a few minor civil disturbances, and time to rebuild the kingdom to it's former glory. Now, to walk the streets, a person would never know anything had ever changed. _As if it had never happened._

The breakfast room had been designed specifically to catch the soft orange glow of the rising western sun – indeed, one entire half of the room was a wall of glass panels that cast their morning rays on everything within reach. A light breeze brought in a morning chill through the screen doors, just enough to keep the room at a pleasant temperature. Seiya arrived to find the princess already seated with Taiki and Yaten, their plates graced with fruit, eggs, small rolls, and other delicacies from the modest breakfast buffet laid out on the table in front of them. She pulled out a chair to sit down, but before she did, was halted by a strange look on both her fellow Starlight's faces. Yaten sniggered once softly to herself, and Taiki looked like she was trying to keep a straight face while gathering a mouthful of eggs onto her fork. Seiya recognized that look – it was the amused expression Yaten gave her after she had pulled some clever and embarrassing revenge for an earlier prank by Seiya. Confused for a moment, she suddenly tried to recall if she had looked in the mirror this morning and noticed any missing eyebrows or marker scribblings on her face. However, she couldn't thing of anything she'd done in recent weeks that would justify any such revenge. "What's your problem?" Seiya smiled casually but raised a questioning eyebrow (assuming the eyebrow was still there) at the silver-blonde.

"Nothing at all. But I think that's very cute, the way you've found your own 'Mini Me'." Yaten popped a forkful of berries into her grinning mouth. Seiya then realized her two companions' line of sight was directed not at her, but slightly behind and to her left. She turned to find Miya standing in the center of the dining room several feet away. She was wearing the same clothes she wore yesterday, but otherwise looked no worse for the morning, bright eyes looking expectantly toward the others apparently waiting to be noticed and invited to the table. But what was different (and no doubt what the other two found amusing) was that her hair was pulled back into a single low ponytail, so that she looked – and Seiya had to admit it – exactly like a miniature version of her father. _What happened to the pigtails?_ she wondered strangely, as her eyes fell on the small girl.

"Come join us, Miya-chan," Kakyuu smiled pleasantly. "There's plenty of food to be shared, and after all, you're our honored guest." The girl strode to the table and hopped into a seat between Kakyuu and Seiya. The princess passed her several dishes helping Miya to fill her plate.

"Like father, like daughter?" Taiki spoke softly with an inquiring glance at Seiya.

"That was not my suggestion," Seiya replied flatly, more than a little flattered but still unnerved deep in her stomach by Miya's new choice of hairstyle. It served as yet another jarring reminder of why this happy-go-lucky girl was sitting beside her at breakfast today. Really, looking at the two of them, who could deny their relationship?

"You know, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, though," Taiki continued. "So she's taken a liking to you, has she?"

"The last thing we need around here is two of you," Yaten put in. "But at least _she's_ cute."

Miya, having become aware that she was the subject of conversation, turned toward the Starlights with a mildly curious face. "Liking the food?" Seiya questioned, looking down at her, to which Miya nodded enthusiastically and made another bite-size piece of jelly-smeared waffle disappear.

You know, Seiya," Taiki spoke up, "I know we did all meet Miya-chan last night, but maybe you should properly introduce everyone."

Seiya swallowed and set down her fork. "I suppose. Alright then… Miya-chan, let me introduce you to Yaten Kou and Taiki Kou, resident palace stiffs – "

"Seiya, can't you even make a normal introduction without cracking jokes?" Yaten cut in, sounding somewhat annoyed.

"Offended, Yaten? I was just trying to make her feel more comfortable." Seiya turned aside to Miya. "Yaten's not a morning person, you see. You'll get used to her."

"Oh, make me sound like a bitch, why don't you?"

"If the shoe fits…"

Miya giggled while Yaten's emerald eyes glared daggers at Seiya, then she rolled them and stuck out a pink tongue. "I do hope you don't inherit your father's retrograded maturity, Miya-chan," Yaten stated dryly. 

"Will you just let me finish the introductions?"

"You're hardly doing a good job of it…"

"Are you guys sisters?" Miya piped up suddenly.

The three Starlights exchanged looks. "No, not by blood," Taiki replied.

"Although for some reason we get that a lot," Yaten answered. She ran her fork in bored circles on her plate while watching Miya, producing a grating screech of metal-on-china, oblivious to Taiki's annoyed glare. 

"But we've been together nearly all our lives, so I suppose we are practically sisters," Seiya finished. "In fact, you can even call Yaten 'obasan' – I bet she'd be thrilled."*

"Funny one, Seiya," Yaten said, taking the opportunity to fling a piece of biscuit across the table at her 'sister'. "Don't forget you're only five months younger than me."

"_Please _do not starting throwing food, you two," Taiki interjected with the tone of one who knew all too well where this could lead, and didn't like it at all. Yaten smiled but said nothing more. "Calm down, Taiki, no one's even arguing," Seiya put in. Miya watched interested, putting another forkful of breakfast in her mouth, and only a little disappointed that there would be no foodfight.

"_Anyway,_ you'll get to know Taiki and Yaten while you're here since they're also, um, Starlights… Maker and Healer, to be specific," Seiya faltered, not sure if Miya even knew what a Starlight was. She had talked some last night about her life on Kinmoku, and shared stories about her time on Earth, but the fact of her second identity had never come up. But Miya made no sign on confusion, so Seiya continued. "And this, of course, is the ruler of Kinmoku, and our beloved Princess… Kakyuu-sama."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miya-chan," Kakyuu said.

"So you're the lost princess?"

Kakyuu's smile of greeting faded in mild confusion. Miya turned to Seiya for help. "Your song!" she explained matter-of-factly.

"…Ah, yes!" Realization finally brightened the young Princess' petite face. "You are right, dear. The princess whom Seiya and the others were looking for was I. You've heard my Starlights' song, have you?"

Miya nodded assertively. "I'm glad they found you."

"So am I," Kakyuu smiled softly, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Miya found she liked the princess of Kinmoku –  she had from the first moment she saw her. She seemed wise and kind, like a beautiful red angel. Now she understood the desperation in the Three Lights' song… they missed the comfort of their Princess' presence. Kakyuu reminded her of the way Miya imagined someone else whom the legends spoke of on Earth…

"So what are your plans for today?" Taiki questioned Seiya.

"Well," Seiya began, as Miya looked in her direction, also wondering what the day held in store for her. "I thought we would take a walk and show Miya-chan the city, maybe feed the chinakus…"

"Chinakus?" Miya echoed the strange word curiously.

"Um… well, they're kind of like giraffes," Seiya explained. "You'll see what I mean."

"Are you full yet, Miya-chan, or would like anything else to eat?" Kakyuu inquired, noting the girl's now-empty plate.

The dark-haired child stared at her plate contemplatively. "Olives."

"Eh?" Her single spoken word had sent the whole table into mild puzzlement. "Olives… with eggs?" Taiki blinked.

Miya broke into giggles at her own half-serious request. "Sure! I can eat olives with _anything_! Aaaall the time… lots and lots of olives!" She punctuated her words with a wide hand gesture demonstrating just how many olives she could eat in a sitting.

Seiya found herself giving her daughter an are-you-sure-you're-not-crazy look while being more than a little amused. The rest of the table was laughing out loud. "Whatever, kid. Maybe for lunch. Plus I don't know if we even have that many," Seiya smirked. "Now, if you really are full, are you ready to start our tour of Kinmoku city?"

With Miya's affirmative "yep", Seiya instructed: "Then I'll meet you by the front entrance, ok? I've got to fetch a few things from my room first."

The girl skipped away cheerily and father's eyes watched until the last bouncing end of ponytail disappeared around the tall doors. "Well," Seiya spoke loudly as she stood up, more to break the silence that ensued than anything else. As she happened to catch the princess' glance out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Kakyuu's red orbs quickly averted. Concerned out of habit, Seiya wondered if something might be troubling the princess. The thought didn't have long to linger in her head before it was quickly pushed away. 

"Enjoy your tour, if the little runt doesn't wear you out first." Yaten punctuated her words with a "good luck" wave.

"I'm not that old yet, Miss Obasan," Seiya countered. She hardly considered herself past her peak (far from it, in fact) and in her mind keeping up with a nine-year-old child would be no challenge at all. Despite all that was on her mind, she expected today to be a fun, and hopefully enlightening day.

"By the way, Seiya," Taiki spoke before her dark-haired comrade could leave. "You should know, the DNA came back positive."

A breathless punch hit her chest in what was becoming an all too familiar feeling each time another fact drove the reality home one layer deeper. Seiya licked her lips coolly, not willing to show any outward reaction. After all, Taiki's announcement was nothing new, there should be no reason for surprise. She was already convinced Miya was her daughter. But somehow she'd had it pushed to the back of her mind that this might be one of those freaky dreams you wake up from and wonder _Did that really just happen?_ Now the cold, solid, irreversibleness of science had just slapped her across the face to say _This IS the truth, and you can't ever argue it. _She adored Miya already and so had no problems accepting that, but as a general rule, Seiya liked her flexibility. And suddenly, she had no loopholes left… and only the realization that this could quite possibly change her life forever. Not only that, it cemented the fact that Usagi…

"Seiya?"

"Yeah?" Seiya responded distantly to Taiki's inquiry, her eyes flicking automatically in Kakyuu's direction. The princess' eyes were down, her reaction unreadable. Pulling herself back to the present, Seiya spoke casually. "Well, that's nothing I didn't know anyway by now. No shock."

"Are you seriously okay with this?" Yaten raised an eyebrow, skeptical at how well Seiya seemed to be taking all that had happened in the last sixteen hours.

"Don't worry about me," Seiya smiled as she turned and walked away. "I'm still in shock."

Outside, Seiya leaned against the tall double doors, once she had closed them against the eyes of the others still inside, letting her body rest limp against their able support. A long exhale escaped her lips to shove out every thought that was still clouding her mind. No use pondering things – she was determined to enjoy these next few days with her new-found daughter without bigger questions weighing down her mind. But the possibility of meeting Usagi again had been quietly nagging her. On one hand, it would be nice to go back to Earth, see how things had changed, catch up on old times, while at the same time… well, some things of the past she'd rather not revive. But she'd already promised herself not to dwell on that – today she had a holiday to enjoy. As for whatever else their futures held…

"Well, Miya," she spoke under breath to the empty hall. "This should be an interesting ride."

---------------

_* obasan_ – "aunt" or "middle-aged lady"

_Author's notes:_  *bangs head severely against desk several times*  aahh, that felt better. _;;


	12. Girl's Day Out

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: abigail@makenai.org 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:9-2-03 Chapter ended: 12-2-03

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own. 

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

***Chapter 11***

-_Girl's Day Out-_

"Yo…" 

Seiya found Miya near the front gate standing on a boulder to examine a tall bush that bloomed wide, disc-like yellow flowers. She jumped down at the sound of Seiya's voice  "I'm ready, let's go!" the child announced, and skipped ahead toward the gate with her endless energy and proceeded to pull it open. _Was I this excitable when I was young?_ Seiya wondered. 

"Okay, but listen," Seiya took hold of the gate and opened it fully. "Don't be running off or anything like that. I'm not gonna search all over the city for you if you get lost."

"Hai, I promise."

"And take that ponytail out of your hair, will you?"

"Why?" Wide eyes blinked their confusion.

"Because it's damn freaky, that's why! You look like a midget version of me." A toothy smile was the only response she got, to Seiya's mild annoyance. "You're too cute for your own good, you know?"

Small giggles emerged from the child who skipped backwards, always keeping one step ahead of the older woman. She turned her face up impudently. "And what if I don't take it out?"

Wow, not only was she cute, she was a sassy little runt too. Seiya couldn't help smiling wickedly. "I guess I'd just have to _cut_ it, then!" She made a grab for the long black ponytail, which sent Miya fleeing ahead with a shriek, pulling her hair protectively over her shoulder. Once a safe distance away, playful eyes glanced back, lest her long locks should still be in danger. Seiya strode forward at her own unhurried pace still smiling, keeping Miya wary of what her next move would be. Suddenly she broke into a run again, chasing the giggling girl across the brick pavement. Miya let go of her hair and simply ran, caught up in the thrill of not letting herself get caught. She jumped atop a low garden wall to take a shortcut as Seiya drew closer in pursuit. Seiya hopped after her and they danced across the wall, around a decorative statue, and over the stone platform it was displayed on. She let the girl have a lead but soon enough had caught up enough to capture her. Miya squealed and squirmed as Seiya's arms snaked around her. Already teetering precariously on the brink of the platform, Miya twisted just enough in her attempt to escape to send her center of gravity swaying irretrievably off the edge. Seiya's balance wasn't in much better state at this point – she tightened her grip around the child as they toppled over the three-foot drop. Somehow she managed to land on her feet with cat-like agility, barely preventing Miya from slipping through her grasp. 

Seiya straightened let the girl drop unceremoniously to the ground. Playfulness still sparked in her eyes. "I win," she stated.

"That's not fair!" Miya pointed accusingly at her parent. "I lost my balance."

"Ha! Your loss, Shorty." Seiya didn't give in to the girl's angry pout. 

"Hey…" she whined with an obligatory stomp of the foot. "Just because you're bigger!"

Arms crossed, Seiya laughed. "You're lucky I don't have a pair of scissors on me."

At that, Miya grasped her hair protectively again and shot Seiya her best glare, but it was spoiled by the smile that threatened to break through. 

"You know, you're still the same featherweight you were back then, too." The smile faded as Seiya's words caught Miya's full attention. "We've met before, haven't we?" Seiya gently met the girl's wide blue eyes. "How were you there at that concert in 1997?"

Miya shifted and shrugged innocently, not readily willing to admit to stealing the Time Key. "Well… I wanted to find you, so I used Setsuna-san's Time Key to travel to the past."

Two of Seiya's eyebrows lifted in reaction. Well, she had figured time travel had to be the logical explanation. "Really? Remind me to hire Setsuna as my travel agent."

"Ne, ne! I want to see the chikas now!"

"The chinaku? Well, that's where we're going. At least, that's where we're gonna end up eventually. Come on."

Seiya began strolling toward the city, letting the girl wander farther ahead of her. Before long Miya's interests were caught up in the city around them, as the small plaza in front of the palace entrance began to melt into the unique blend of old world and modern construction that was Kinmoku City. By mid-morning the day was in full swing for most of the residents of these streets. Softly illuminated signs beckoned customers into the shops that lined the sidewalks. At the stalls and carts parked along the streetside vendors waited hopefully for passersby to stop and take an interest in their wares – everything from fresh produce to pretty knickknacks to hand-sewn lingerie, - a few energetic ones actively trying to direct attention to their own stands. People walked through the avenues with their own business in mind, the occasional engine-propelled vehicle weaving a dangerous path through the pedestrians. Miya found herself fascinated by everything from the brown bricks under her feet to the sleek steel walkway that spanned the air above their heads.

A few people recognized Seiya as one of the Princess' guardians, sending her a respectful bow, and one or two raising a curious eyebrow at her pint-sized lookalike. Miya discovered a beautiful hanging mobile made of colored crystals and very nearly convinced Seiya to buy it for her, until they decided it was probably too fragile to carry around for the rest of the day. She made a mental note to remind Seiya to stop here on their way back. 

A boat ride took them deeper into the heart of the city, navigating the sparkling canals that knifed around and under the buildings and streets. Miya let her fingers drag through the cool water, making little bubble trails in the surface, while the pulley rope above them pulled the boat swiftly toward their destination. 

They got off at a large square, where now on dry land, they were free to wander again wherever their hearts wished. Miya's heart just happened to lead her toward an ice cream vendor parked in the shade of a large tree, and so the two soon found themselves debating over ice cream flavors. Seiya suggested mokupiye, a native orange-colored fruit. Miya's eyes slanted toward the more familiar chocolate and vanilla, but feeling adventurous, she decided to try it. Seiya laughed when the girl's face puckered after one lick.

"Good?"

"It's sour!" she exclaimed. She took another testing lick and decided, "But… it's not bad."

"If you eat the fruit unsweetened it's much more sour. But it's delicious once you get used to the taste," Seiya explained, nursing her own cone.

"Mm…" Miya's response was muffled by her ice cream – the mokupiye flavor was starting to grow on her already.

They walked in silence for several minutes. The hot sun kept their mouths busy, melting the ice cream so that it dripped down their cones and over their hands.

"So, what do you think of Kinmokusei so far?" Seiya finally asked.

"I like it!" Miya nodded. "Everything looks so pretty, and tastes so good here. I would wanna live here, because I like everything! The palace is really cool, too… it's a little bit like the Crystal Palace in Tokyo, but it's different, too. And your princess…"

"You like Kakyuu Princess?"

She nodded her agreement again, smiling. "I feel warm being around her."

Seiya couldn't help smiling, since she knew exactly what Miya was talking about, and the kind warmth that their princess exerted. The kind of presence that inspired hope and belief in everyone around her. 

"She reminds me of… well, sorta… she reminds of the way people talk about someone else on Earth."

"Mm… who is that?" Seiya queried, while trying to keep her lopsided pile of ice cream from running down the edge of her cone and keep her hands from getting sticky at the same time.

"Sailor Moon."

At the mention of that name, Seiya suddenly felt a cold chill between her toes. Miya burst into giggles. "Your ice cream…" Seiya looked down at her sandaled foot, now flavored with orange-colored ice cream.

"Damn…" she drawled, lifting her foot to let the sticky mess slide off. "That was a waste of good ice cream. Oh well… you'll share yours with me now, won't you, Miya-chan?"

"Hey, wait a minute!" she protested, bringing her own cone to her mouth protectively. Miya had devoured hers much quicker than Seiya and was already crunching down the sugary waffle of the cone.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't be that generous," Seiya grinned.

They made their way to the center of the square, where Seiya stuck her foot in the fountain pool to clean it off. Miya balanced on the fountain's low wall while Seiya rinsed her sandal and reattached it to her foot. Unable to resist, the child dipped one foot, then the other, into the pool's cool water to relieve them from the hot afternoon sun. Throwing her head back, she tried to catch with her face the brief refreshing breeze that wisped past. She took the opportunity to casually observe her surroundings, until a movement in the distant trees caught her sharp eye's attention. Miya stood again, squinting to see if her imagination hadn't deceived her.

"Ne?" She spoke, never taking her eyes off the shapes she couldn't quite make out.

"Mm?" Having already rinsed her hands and feet of ice cream, Seiya had followed Miya's lead and left her feet to soak in the inviting fountain, letting her back rest against a thick pillar.

"What is that?"

Seiya twisted her neck to see exactly what the girl was looking at. There seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary, until she remembered what lay in the direction that Miya's eyes were fixed on. She offered a one-word answer: "Chinaku."

The black-haired child's eyes immediately lit up. "Seriously? I want to see them! Let's go, come on! You promised!"

"Hai, hai… I'm coming." Watching Miya bounce up and down waiting for her brought Yaten's words back to Seiya's mind. _Heh…I'm not worn out yet._ But Miya did seem to have inherited genes from the Energizer Bunny. Besides, it was too hot today to be running all over town. It was nearing the middle of the day and the sun was out in full force. Seiya was nearly tempted to jump into the fountain and immerse herself completely, and probably would have, if their next destination hadn't provided the small relief of shade under the natural foliage.

A chinaku was, as Seiya had said, like a giraffe. Sort of.

They were large, domestic-looking creatures with tall necks longer than a llama's but not quite as tall as a giraffe's. They came in shades of brown, gray, and white, their shaggy hair coving their bodies like a warm coat and bunching thickly under their chins like an old man's scraggly beard. Their eyes in contrast were keen and bright – beautiful pink eyes that made one pause and wonder – and their ears flicking in constant alertness. A long porcelain curved horn topped the head of each.

Miya was fascinated immediately, climbing to a perch on the wooden fence to get a better view of the large animals that ambled about their expansive pen. One wandered toward Miya, bending its neck toward her in not-so-subtle curiosity. It kept coming toward her, nudging her chest and clothes boldly, so that Miya backed away in surprise. The animal continued nosing, despite the girl's voice of protest. She didn't quite know whether to be afraid, or whether the tall hairy beast in front of her might bite her hand off if she dared to reach out in the safe distance she'd put between them. She looked to Seiya, but found to her disappointment that her father had disappeared somewhere and was nowhere in sight. Miya didn't have much experience with animals that weren't small pets like George, so she didn't know what to expect. But she found the chinaku were too fascinating to stay away from.

"Don't bite," she warned the animal sternly before cautiously extending her hand. Despite its intimidating size (and this one's particularly pushy attitude) she sensed that the chinaku was really a gentle animal. Its soft pink eyes were intriguing, like some mystical creature in a fantasy tale. Miya discovered its hair was soft yet coarse, as her hand made contact with its head. The chinaku wasn't interested in being petted, though, and it shifted its head, determined to shove its wet nose into the girl's palm. Miya retracted her hand in fearful instinct. "I said don't bite!" she scolded. Even though the animal hadn't actually bit her (not yet, at least), she once again placed a safe distance between herself and the fence keeping the curious chinaku from coming any farther.

"This is what he wants." Seiya reappeared at her side carrying a brown paper bag. 

Miya took the bag and peered inside. "Nuts?" She pulled out an odd-shaped tan object about the size of a strawberry. Letting the strange nut rest on her palm, she extended her hand once again, hesitantly, to the animal in front of her. The chinaku devoured it quickly, finally happy to get the treat it was looking for. Miya couldn't help giggling a bit as its wet nose tickled her hand. She brought out several more nuts, which quickly disappeared, and the chinaku eagerly nudged for more. "Now, now," Miya lectured. "You can't eat them all! You have to share, you know."

"I think he's definitely the pig of the herd," Seiya commented. 

"Hey!!" Miya snatched away the bag when she realized the chinaku was trying to sneak his hungry nose into it. "Okay… just one more. But that's it!" She wagged a finger at the creature who stared back at her with the most innocent of looks. After two more nuts disappeared, Seiya attempted to wave the pesky animal away.

"Shoo! Go away! You heard the young lady – no more for you! Got it? Maybe you should toss some to the other chinaku – I don't think the rest have figured out you're giving out free food," she added to Miya. They tossed some of the nuts farther out into the pen where they were quickly eaten up by the other animals. A few wandered closer, but most were content to stand and let the food come to them once they discovered where the nuts were being thrown. One nut thrown by Miya bounced off the head of chinaku as he bent to sniff the ground for more food. Both Miya and Seiya laughed as the animal shook his head and looked around, confused.

"Sorry, chinaku-san!" Miya called. "I didn't mean to hit you!"

Seiya took another nut from Miya's bag and tossed it, watching two chinaku shove each other to get to it first. "Miya-chan, you mentioned something earlier," she began. "About Sailor Moon. Do you know her?" Seiya knew she shouldn't pry too far into the issue until everything could be explained back on Earth, but the curiosity was killing her. 

Miya looked up with something akin to surprise. "Everyone knows who Sailor Moon is. She's a legend on Earth."

"Ah, I can imagine. But… you've never met her?"

"Mm-mm." Pigtails swung as the girl shook her head. "Mama used to tell me stories about Sailor Moon, but she stopped fighting in Tokyo when I was just very little, Mama said. And no one knows who she really was."

_You really _don't_ know anything, do you, Miya-chan?_ "I see. So, Sailor Moon… doesn't fight anymore?" Seiya found yet another layer added to the confusing mystery surrounding Usagi and Miya.

"Seiya!" Miya looked up with realization. "Did you know Sailor Moon?"

Seiya faulted, opening her mouth but not knowing what to say. _Serves you right for bringing the subject up again._ "I… I did," she answered finally. "I fought alongside Sailor Moon when I was on Earth."

"Sugoi!" the child exclaimed. "That's so cool - you knew her!"

"Yeah… pretty cool. I'll tell you more someday, okay?" Seiya smiled, tugging playfully at one of Miya's braids.

"Promise?"

"Promise," Seiya vowed, pushing away her slight guilt. She reached into Miya's paper bag to pull out two more nuts.

"I wanna know everything about her, okay?"

"You got it." Seiya tossed a nut in the air and caught it again, with a wink. "Now… watch me hit this fat one in the rear end."

Miya followed Seiya's pointed finger to the particularly heavyset chinaku she was referring to, and laughed out loud when the animal started at the projectile that hit its rump. Eyes wide, it proceeded to walk in circles several times, trying in vain to discover the source of the flying nuts before giving up and grazing quietly again. Miya imitated her father, pitching several nuts in the chinaku's direction, but she didn't succeed in hitting anything. She decided instead to feed the rest of the nuts to the chinaku that had flocked closer to the fence.

"You're giving more to the beggar?" Seiya commented when she noticed Miya feeding the chinaku that had first come near the fence. "He's going to get as fat as the other one."

"I felt sorry for him!" Miya defended. "He was still hungry. How do tell that it's a 'he'?"

Seiya pondered for a moment. "Good point. I don't really know. He could be a 'she' for all I know."

Miya frowned deeply. "People on this planet don't really care if they're boys or girls, do they?"

Seiya felt a deep laugh emerge from her belly at Miya's observation. "I'm not so sure about that," she spoke finally. "But not everybody." Miya didn't quite understand why what she had said was funny. Seiya laid a hand on the confused girl's head. "I wouldn't worry about it."

"How do you change into a boy?"

"You ask too many questions, little girl." Given the girl's absolutely innocent expression, it was hard to believe the number of difficult questions she'd managed to ask today alone. "How are we doing on nuts?" Miya held up the bag, revealing one final treat at the bottom. "So… shall we split it?" Seiya asked, tossing the nut and catching it again. 

Miya wasn't sure she'd heard right. "Aren't they for the chinaku?"

"You aren't hungry?" Seiya examined the chunk of chinaku feed in her hand. "I wonder if it's any good. I don't remember if I've ever tried akadia nuts before. Care to try?" She held out the nut to Miya. 

Miya eyed the nut uncertainly, not sure if Seiya was being serious or not. It looked a little dirty and not all that appetizing. "Umm…"

"Just as well," she said, taking a last critical glance at the akadia nut before pitching it into the chinaku's enclosure. It bounced and scuttled along the ground before coming to a rest in a patch of grass, only to be closed in on by two snack-hungry chinaku. "I have a feeling a couple of jasei danishes will have a better flavor. What do you think?"

"Can we get something to eat, then?" Miya asked hopefully.

"Definitely," Seiya affirmed. "Then we can go do some shopping. You can't keep wearing the same clothes everyday, you know. People might start to think you're strange." She punctuated the statement with a wink.

"Eh…" Miya looked down sheepishly at her frog T-shirt. She liked the idea of getting new clothes and wondered curiously what kind of fashions they would find in the Kinmoku city shops. For some reason her mind imagined all kinds of strange and exotic outfits like she saw in fantasy movies, even though her eyes today had already shown her that Kinmoku fashion what not all that unlike Earth's. 

"Goodbye, chinaku-san. It was nice meeting you." Miya spoke kindly, reaching out to stroke the head of the beggar who still stood nearby, hoping for the brown bag to miraculously produce just one more nut. She laughed when his wet nose nudged her hand.

Seiya couldn't help but smile at the all-too-cute scene, although an odd feeling of familiarity struck her as she recalled a different scene from a certain "date" years ago.

_"Bye, monkey-san! Oh look, Seiya, he's waving! He's waving, how cute!" _

_"Odango, he's scratching his head. Why would he wave at you?"_

_"He was waving, I know it! Bye-bye, monkey-san!"_

Miya jumped from her perch on the fence and landed smoothly on her feet. She ran to catch up with Seiya. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"What, more questions? I'm sorry, but you've already surpassed your limit," Seiya teased as they strode together across the plaza. "After ten questions I start charging five hundred yen per answer."

"Hey, but I left my piggy bank at home on Earth!"

"Oh, okay," Seiya laughed. "What's the question?" Inwardly she braced herself for the next complicated question to come out of the child's mouth.

"Can I call you Seiya-papa?"

A grin began to spread across Seiya's face. _Seiya-papa?_ _It sounds strange, but… I like it._ "Yeah," she said. "You can. I'd like that."

"Alright!" the girl celebrated. "Now let's go shopping! Hey… and afterwards can we stop back and buy that pretty crystal hanging ornament?"

"You know, you were supposed to have forgotten about that…"

------------

Hmm.. I wonder if there's even a point to making apologizes for delayed chapters anymore. ^_^; Hope you enjoy this chapter. Read while eating pixie sticks and it's guaranteed to give you a sugar overdose. 


	13. Across the Galaxy

On a Raven Wind__

Author:Abigail aka Drive Me Mercury__

Email: 

Rating: PG-13

Chapter started:12-3-03 Chapter ended:

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

---------------------------

**Chapter 12**

-_Across the Galaxy-_

It was well past afternoon and nearly dark by the time Miya and Seiya's footsteps finally echoed down the palace halls again. Between the two of them, all four of their arms were weighed down with various bags and packages, and, though their feet were sore and their skin hot and sticky, both were still in a good mood. Finally arriving back at Seiya's suite, the dark-haired Starlight deposited her armload on the floor in an arrangement that would make the maid roll her eyes in frustration, and took a welcome plunge onto the sofa.

"Can I get a drink of juice?" Miya queried after adding her own burden to the pile of souvenirs and merchandise on the floor.

"You remember where the kitchen is? We passed it on the way in."

"Yep! I'll be back!" the child declared as she raced from the room.

"Hey, watch it, Chibi." Yaten, having wandered across the hall at the sound of Seiya's return, barely avoided a collision with the exiting girl. Seiya stretched, releasing a long, uninhibited sigh, as she kicked off her shoes to prop her feet up on the cushions. Yaten leaned against the sofa's back with a smirk. "Wore you out, did she? Finally broke your stamina?"

"Broke my wallet, that's for sure," Seiya mumbled.

"What on Kinmoku did you buy?" Yaten eyed the mountain of packages.

"Clothes," Seiya recited in monotone. "Chinaku plushies. Overpriced tourist souvenirs. Sparkly hanging things. I don't even remember what else."

Yaten burst into a fit of chuckles, which Seiya wouldn't have minded if it had stopped at that, but the silver-haired girl kept on laughing. "I suppose it's funny, but it's not _that_ funny," Seiya frowned at her friend and companion.

"She's a daddy's girl already, I can just see it," Yaten grinned, leaning in and twirling her pinky. "She's gonna have you _soo_ wrapped around her little finger. Besides, I still find you as a parent to be a hilarious thought."

"Well, laugh it up, Ya-chan," Seiya smiled. "_And_," she added in defense, "I will be a disciplinarian when I need to be, believe me. She won't always get her own way."

"Right, right, I'm gonna believe that."

"I'm serious! I won't be a pushover, and she'll have to learn that. Just… not today." Seiya rolled her head back on the sofa's arm, tugging with a finger at her sweat-rimmed shirt collar, which was starting to itch after a day in the sun and dust. A surprised grunt escaped her throat when a knobby weight landed on her stomach. Seiya tilted her head up to find a slightly sheepish Miya straddling her torso and a large wet spot on her chest where juice had accidentally sloshed over the edge of the girl's cup.

"Eh… oops, sorry." Miya used the hem of her shirt to wipe the bottom of the dripping cup. She met Seiya's eyes tentatively, hoping she wouldn't find anger stirring in them. Seiya found herself looking back at large blue eyes like a guilty puppy's, and it was all she could do not to smile.

"Yaten…" Seiya spoke solemnly after a few seconds' silence. "Go find me a pair of scissors, would you?"

 "No!!" Miya reacted like a fire alarm had gone off, snatching up her hair and running toward the bedroom, to the sound of Seiya's laughter.

Yaten watched the scene with curious interest. "Umm… please don't tell me this is your disciplinary strategy. I'm afraid to ask what the scissors are for."

"Cutting her hair," Seiya explained, sitting up to peer over the sofa's back toward the bedroom. A short black head now appeared around the doorframe, and Seiya made a mock motion of scissors cutting with her two fingers. The head disappeared inside the room again, but not before blowing a long raspberry in Seiya's direction. "It's our little joke."

"Very cute."

Remembering her stained shirt, Seiya plucked the wet fabric from her skin with a frown. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll go finish taking my shower."

------------------------------

"I don't WANT to go back!! I like it here!"

Miya voiced her opinion with firm stubbornness as she circled the room, exploring drawers, closets, and desktops in search of something interesting to occupy her time this evening. In the past days she had been having a blast with Seiya and visiting all the sights around Kinmoku City, and she did want it to end so suddenly. Right now she didn't want it to end, ever. Not when she'd finally found her father and discovered that, even though "he" was a "she", she was one of coolest people Miya had ever met.

"Miya! But you can't stay here forever." Seiya leaned on a pillow, crossed-legged on the bed.

"Why not?"

"What about your mother… Makiko?"

Miya frowned at the ink pen she grasped in her palm. To never see her adoptive mother again… "I would miss her, but…"

"You can always come back here to visit," Seiya assured.

"But I don't want to leave!" the girl contended, dropping the pen back in its drawer and closing it with a slam. "I just met you, and it's only been five days! I want to stay here much longer. Like… forever."

Seiya shook her head. "Miya, you know I would love for you to stay here, but you need to go back. Because there's things… and people… on Earth for you. That's where your home is, and plus, there's things… on Earth I have to find out about. So why don't we just talk about it once we get there?"

Miya faced her father with surprised. "You're coming, too?"

"Of course! Besides, don't lie to me, I know you miss George."

"Well…" It was true. She did miss her rabbit and wondered if he was doing okay.

"So that's settled," Seiya declared, falling backwards on the bed.

"Hey, cool! What's this?" Miya had finally discovered something of interest in her search. Seiya opened an eye to see the girl pull a palm-sized Game Boy from the bottom of the drawer. "_Kirby's Dreamland _ONE?" Miya commented upon further inspection. "And it's in black and white, too! Man, this must be really ancient! Don't you have a Pocket PS3 Advance?"

"Kid, I don't even know what a Pocket PS3 Advance _is_. We don't have that stuff here on Kinmoku. I brought that from Earth ten years ago. And watch what you're calling _ancient_, huh?"

Miya flopped onto the bed with the game and was soon absorbed in a world of pixilated sprites and the blips and bleeps of tinny electronic music.

"So…" she spoke several minutes later, not turning her mesmerized face from the tiny screen as she frantically pushed the buttons. "Can we at least stay a little longer, like… a month?"

"Miya-chan!" Seiya pulled herself into a sitting position again. "We just discussed this!" In any other case she would probably gladly have let the girl stay for as long as she wished, but not knowing Usagi's situation was driving her crazy. A week ago she had been unsure, but now she needed to go back to Earth. Soon.

"Aggh! I died again!" the raven-headed girl cried as another "Game Over" danced across her screen. She let out a heavy melodramatic sigh.

"What level are you on?" Seiya peered over her shoulder curiously. "Oh, this one's easy. I practically know this game by heart. Jump that guy," she instructed, "Suck him up, then spit him out at the next guy. Jump up on those boxes – watch out for that guy – then jump over on… no, jump!"

"Agggggh!" The short pity music played after Miya watched Kirby helplessly plunge into a bottomless pit.

Seiya laughed at the pixilated blob of a character's misfortune and her own daughter's frustration. "You'll get the hang of it. It takes a couple of tries. Here, let me get you through this one level," she said, relieving Miya of the video game.

Miya watched Seiya, now concentrating intently on the tiny screen in front of her, for several moments in silence. "So… another week longer?" She wasn't going to give up her bargaining power yet.

"Miya-chan!!"

"Alright, alright!" She gave up the battle finally. Going back wouldn't be so bad, at least now that she knew Seiya was going with her. But staying wouldn't have been so bad either – she'd grown just a little fond of Kinmoku.

"Besides," Seiya continued as she guided Kirby with her thumbs through a world of 2-D platforms and sickeningly cute monsters, "I think we'll have fun. It's been a while since I've been back to Earth, so I'm looking forward to it. And the Princess has already agreed to let Taiki and Yaten come along. She might visit herself, too, once she finishes some business in the Centauri system."

"So you have friends on Earth you wanna see?"

"Yeah, it would be nice to catch up on old times."

"Hey! Were you friends with Setsuna-san, then?"

"Mm… Sailor Pluto? Well, let's see… we had a little misunderstanding for a while, but we reconciled before I left. I guess." She couldn't bring herself with certainty to say the soldiers of the Outer Solar System didn't still hate her, because she had never really known for sure. A mysterious bunch, they were.

"So it's a vacation! I just had my vacation on your planet, and now you get to have a vacation on my planet. This is fun. I can't wait to show you around!"

"You sure change your mind quickly," Seiya smirked. "Suddenly you're all eager to leave."

"Hehe." The girl giggled, leaning back on her hands. The prospect of being able to show her Seiya-papa around her hometown had convinced her she wanted to go back after all.

The room fell into an easy silence punctuated by the happy sound of synthesized game music. "Um… Seiya-papa?" Miya spoke after several minutes.

"Hm?"

"Can I have the game back?"

--------------------------------

She really wasn't sure what she was doing here, or what she planned on saying, and that's why her fist hesitated where it hovered in front of the door. Nothing had really changed between them that past week (to the observer's eye, to say the least), but she couldn't help the feeling that something was wrong. Something lurking just beneath the surface, a nagging awkwardness that hadn't been there before. If it had anything to do with the recent revelations of the week she didn't know, and if it did… well, she had no idea why.

Of course, it could all be just her imagination.

In which case, there was no point in her being here right now.

She knocked anyway, but no answer came from inside. The door yielded to the press of her fingers, swinging open slightly to reveal a sliver of the richly decorated interior. Nothing moved inside, and so she dared to press the door farther and take a few steps inside. They had always maintained a close relationship considering their differences in status, but even so it was not often that she found herself standing inside this bedroom, whether by request or not. For that reason, she now felt like a trespasser in a sacred place, afraid to be caught at any moment. Yet the question still nagged at her mind.

"Princess?" her hesitance betrayed in her voice that broke the sacred stillness of the room, and was met with nothing but more silence.

No answer met her call, and Seiya licked her lips nervously. With one final glance around, she turned and left the room.

---------------------------------

Around two days later, light-years away, another woman burst uninvited into a different room.

"Setsuna!" Haruka hadn't even bothered to knock, as she rarely did, before striding into the Time Guardian's palace office. Her serious blue eyes carried the stony focus that they often did in times of crisis. "The computers on Uranus have detected – "

"Invaders, yes." Setsuna finished with infinite calmness.

The princess of Uranus pursed her lips with annoyance. She should have expected such a reaction, but she wasn't inclined to like it when others finished her sentences or seemingly read her mind. (Not that Michiru didn't do that more often than she could count.) But as with Michiru, with Setsuna there usually wasn't much room to argue. She crossed her arms stiffly. "Of course you already knew."

"There is no need to worry," the soldier of Pluto looked up for the first time, an unreadable expression that was neither smile nor frown crossing her timeless face. "I've been expecting visitors."

---------------------------

"Whooooooooa… I'm kinda… dizzy!" Miya staggered in circles with outstretched arms, giggling a little at the fact that she was amazingly back on Earth again. The return trip with the Starlights had been by far more enjoyable than the trip there. Being reduced to a being of pure energy, and consciously racing through the universe while breathtaking sights of stars, supernovas, and whole galaxies passed by would beat Setsuna-san's bubble any day.

"Yeah, the transformation back into solid matter will make you a little disoriented, especially if you're not used to it," Seiya explained, after the three senshi reverted back to their civilian forms. After such a long journey it would take too much energy to maintain their soldier's form, not to mention not having to walk around in tight leather shorts and spike heels was decidedly more comfortable.

"God, I hate cross-galaxy travel…" Yaten growled, massaging her temples to nurse her growing migraine. Taiki merely began gathering their luggage which had ended up in a rather disorganized pile, seeing as no one had been bothering to focus on the luggage upon landing.

"Not bad, I must say…" Seiya mused, turning in circles herself as she took in the sparkling, high-ceilinged foyer framed by two stories of balconies inside the palace where they had chose to land. One thing she couldn't deny was that the Tokyo landscape had changed dramatically since her last visit. No one could miss the white, jeweled palace that now rose majestically from the ground to tower over the city.

"Hey, watch it, Chibi, there's important stuff in there!" Yaten snipped when Miya practically tripped over her bag. "Seiya, would you quit gawking and help me with this stuff?"

"Carved crystal chandeliers, polished, even," Seiya continued to make her assessment of the new palace. "Well-lit and spacious interior, crystal floors, gold-plated railings…"

"Stop right there!"

"…appropriate security response, although a bit late…"

Two skirted figures, one red and one green, stared down from the first-level balcony. Their hands were held out as ready weapons, and each Starlight had witnessed firsthand the kind of firepower those hands could release. "Identify yourselves!"

"And a happy warm welcome to you, too!" Yaten called up with a sarcastic salute.

"Starlights?!!" The hands lowered to reveal utterly shocked and confused faces.

Seconds later the two soldiers of Earth had cleared the balcony and landed smoothly in front of them. The standard incredulities and pleasantries were exchanged, followed by an invitation to stay in the palace, which also seemed to come pretty standard at this point, considering the four had already invited themselves inside the main foyer with Miya's blessing.

"We appreciate your hospitality." Seiya found herself playing the ambassador, as Yaten was still nursing her headache and Taiki remained in the sulking mood she'd fostered all morning.

"Consider it a long overdue payback for the way you helped us years ago," Jupiter smiled. "Besides, I'm sure the Queen will be thrilled to see all of you."

"Well, thank you, uh…" Seiya stalled. _Now what on Earth had been the soldier of Jupiter's name?_ In all her time on Earth she'd never paid attention to much of anyone except for Usagi, and anyone else she encountered was nothing but a pleasant blur in Usagi's angelic light. (With the exception, perhaps, of Haruka's painfully vivid fists.)

"Kino-san, is there a place we can put away our luggage? Our journey has been quite tiresome."

"O-of course!" The green soldier started. "I'm so sorry, I'm rambling on and you're all probably tired…" She trailed off, a little unnerved. She never was very good in these kind of semi-awkward situations.

"I'll go find someone to prepare the rooms," Mars stated bluntly, leaving to follow up on her words.

 "Don't worry about it, Kino-san," Seiya spoke, thankful to Taiki for remembering the non-essential details like other people's names. "We're all a bit tired and cranky from the journey – that tends to happen – so you'll have to forgive Taiki's rudeness."

"Oh it's no problem! Rei-chan will go fix up three guest rooms."

"I'd appreciate if you wouldn't make apologies for me, Seiya," Taiki stated deadly.

"Someone has to, with the attitude you've had all day."  Seiya could help feeling a little cranky herself, and didn't have the willpower to put up with two other grouchy companions at the moment. But this was no new occurrence. Intergalactic journeys had the tendency to drain the patience out of everybody. She still recalled, with some painful reluctance, the great argument that had broken out upon their last return to Kinmokusei from Earth, when emotions had still been running high.

"Oi, Seiya!" Yaten was attempting to try her own hand at digging through the luggage pile. "What happened to my green bag?"

Taiki turned back sullenly to her own luggage, and Seiya couldn't help a pang of annoyance rising. _What was her problem today?_ Tiredness she could understand, but she had been acting withdrawn ever since morning.

"My green bag isn't here!" Yaten continued to whine. "I'll bet it's lost. This is your fault, Seiya! I felt you losing concentration inside the Outer Rim. My clothes are probably drifting past Saturn right now, thanks a lot!"

"What are you talking about…?" Seiya became aware that Yaten's constant chatter was now being directed at her, and made half an effort to reply.

"You weren't concentrating on the luggage!"

"Uh… I think Rei-chan may have taken-" Jupiter spoke up hesitantly, reluctant to step into the middle of the squabble but eager to find a way to end it. But Seiya was already chuckling.

"What's so funny!?" Yaten burst, outraged that her partner would have the nerve to laugh at her predicament.

"I was just imagining your underwear floating through the Milky Way. Okay, okay, calm down. Didn't you hear what she said? Rei-san took it."

"I'll be going to bed now." Taiki turned her back with none of the usual muted amusement with which she watched the other two's spats.

"Well, whatever you do, don't enjoy yourself," Seiya couldn't help the biting sarcasm that leaked into her words. "I did expect a little appreciation for the vacation."

Taiki's ice violet eyes met hers coolly. "I never asked for a vacation."

"Well, if it's offered, you take it. I thought you'd be smart enough to at least know that," Seiya bit back, not noticing Yaten's hand that suddenly flew to her mouth.

"I – I'll take this one to your bedroom, okay?" Jupiter's voice went unheeded, but she was all too eager to grab a bag and get away from the quarrel.

"Seiya, lay off her…" Yaten's voice contained an uncharacteristic quiet urging that went unheeded.

"Whatever." Seiya didn't feel like continuing the conversation any further, as the silent brunette continued to walk away.  "I swear, I'll never understand you. I try to tell you, this is why you're still single! …Ow!!" She protested loudly when a strong punch in the shoulder from Yaten nearly knocked her over. "What is _your_ problem now?!"

"Idiot!" the silver-blonde hissed once Taiki had disappeared through the doorway. "You just don't know when to shut up, do you?"

"What are you talking about?" Seiya couldn't understand why the girl had suddenly become inflamed over what seemed to her a routine quarrel.

"You _are_ thick, aren't you?" Emerald eyes flashed. "Today was the anniversary."

Confusion clouded the sapphire eyes across from them at first, then denial. "No, it's…" It took only a few seconds for the worst kind of realization to hit her like a bucket of cold water over the head, and Seiya stood in the middle of the room wishing for all the world for a brick wall to bang her forehead against.

"Third rotation of Acuke," Yaten reminded her quietly.

"Damn it…" The obscenity that escaped her lips was much milder than some of the words shouting in her head at the moment. "We could have postponed the trip another day or two. Why didn't she say something? Why didn't _you_ say something?!" She whirled on Yaten accusingly.

"I only just remembered!"

Seiya pressed two fingers between her eyes with a sigh. Words more often than she would like got her in trouble, but it was the painful ones she regretted the most. Sometimes she couldn't realize the hidden blade her words contained until they cut hard – and deep – and by then it was too late. "How many years has it been?" she asked softly now, though she could probably guess the answer herself.

"Five."

She cringed, not at the number, but at the realization of what she had said, yet feeling a new frustration boiling up inside at the same time. "Why does she have be silent like this? She pretends like it never happened, and then _we_ have to deal with her moods! She could have said something – I would have stayed on Kinmoku another day! She could have said something, dammit…" A suitcase skidded a few inches across the floor at the force of her foot, as her short-lived anger soon wasted away. She hoisted the suitcase onto her back and sighed again. "Do I apologize?"

"You've probably said enough for tonight. It's late, anyway. Look, Seiya," Yaten said, "it's probably better for her this way, anyway. On Earth she can take her mind off of it, instead of moping around the palace at home for a week and just being miserable."

"Yeah…" the other woman agreed reluctantly. "Where is Miya?" The sudden silence made her realize what was missing in the room.

"I don't know. Would you help me with this…?" Yaten turned to find her companion had abandoned her in search of smaller, pigtailed things, while a good chunk of the luggage still remained at her feet. Muttering to herself, she threw one of the smaller bags over each shoulder.

"Would you like a hand with that?"

The feminine voice that startled Yaten belonged to a young woman, presumably a maid, with long dark tresses of hair. Yaten toed one of the larger bags that remained. "Yeah, that one's mine. Would you bring it to my room?"

"Certainly." The woman approached with an unnerving smile that Yaten quickly brushed aside. "This way."

She followed the woman through various crystal-walled corridors, passing several different people on their way, but none of whom Yaten recognized. This majestic palace was nothing like what she remembered of Earth, so it was difficult not to think she was on some diplomatic mission to one of Kinmokusei's trade allies, and not on a distant planet that, whether she chose to admit it or not, held a special place in her mind, if not her heart as well.

"Do you and your comrades argue often?" The voice of the maid in front of her brought Yaten back to the present time and place.

"Why is it your business?" Her reply was more bored than defensive; she wasn't really interested in chatting up nosy palace staff. Apparently the girl had been witness to Seiya and Taiki's snippy exchange minutes earlier.

"I only asked a question. I didn't say you had to answer, now did I?"

"If you want rumors to giggle over with your friends in the kitchen, find them somewhere else."

The dark-haired woman stepped to one side and gestured toward an open door. The door led to a generous suite, richly carpeted in shades of aqua blue. She followed Yaten inside to the center of the room, where she set down the heavy suitcase she'd carried up until now without a hint of strain or protest. The silver-haired Kinmoku senshi was too caught up in pretending to ignore her to take much notice of the slight amusement that slanted her eyes. "Actually, I like to tag guests who are potentially troublesome. The difficult ones, you know – so the maids know who to avoid. You're pretty high maintenance, aren't you?"

Yaten let her bags fall the ground with a restrained sigh that was half a growl. She was hot, she was tired, and she was already sick of this impudent maid following her around asking questions. All she wanted was to be left alone without having insults thrown at her by strangers. She had about reached the edge of her patience. "Are all the maids in this palace as cheeky as you?" she snapped.

"That depends," the other woman replied unwavering. "Are all the soldiers of Kinmoku as bitchy as you?"

She turned on the woman, amazed at her brashness but ready to show her exactly how much of a bitch she could be, as what little tolerance she had finally snapped. To her greater amazement, she found the woman giggling softly to herself, soft blue eyes reflecting something oddly… _familiar_.

"But you just don't want anyone to know you have a soft side, do you… _Yaten-kun_."

The name came like a slap to her senses. Now Yaten knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, there was something maddeningly familiar about this girl, but she couldn't place what. She knew she was probably staring like an idiot as her mind racked through the possibilities and came up blank each time. She felt as if somehow, they had met before, yet Yaten knew she had never seen this girl's face before in her life. So what was it? The soft yet wise cerulean eyes, now brimming with amusement as they gazed knowingly, reminded Yaten of no one. Her long, long, violet-black hair spiraled in a chaotic mass of curls nearly to her knees, only a small part of it pulled up atop her head. Her dress was simple violet, silk lace cuffs clinging to her wrists and neckline – elegant in its simplicity – probably not a maid's dress at all. Her skin was pale, lashes dark, and on her forehead…

…_a crescent moon._

"Luna!?"

The musical notes of laughter flitted through the room. "I wondered how long it would take you."

The Kinmoku senshi's confusion was replaced immediately by astonishment. Of course, now she recognized the voice, and the eyes, though a different color, were still there. The lithe and wise cat she had befriended years ago on this planet now stood before her as a beautiful mature woman. Yaten could hardly believe it even as she fell into a hug with her old ally. "Luna! You're… you're a human!" So it was stating the obvious, but she was too much in shock to say much else.

She only laughed more. "What did you think I was, just a talking cat?"

"Wait a minute!" Yaten pulled away as a realization struck her. "Does this mean that white-haired guy in the corridor that was giving me dirty looks was – "

"Artemis, yes. He never was one to forgive grudges."

  Yaten stood back to look her over, hardly believing the woman in front of her was the same "stray" black cat she had picked up off the sidewalk for an "idols with pets" documentary ten years ago. Despite her fatigue, she laughed out loud. Maybe this Earth vacation wouldn't be so bad just yet.

Luna leveled a gaze in return at her silver-haired friend. "You've changed a bit yourself, so I wouldn't be raising any eyebrows," she said, indicating Yaten's new female figure with a flick of the wrist. "To be honest, I'm disappointed." She grinned teasingly.

Yaten shook her head, laughing and taking the playful words in stride. "Whiskers or no, you're still a flirt, aren't you?"

"It was only a joke." Luna raised a slightly haughty chin. "Besides, I'm a married flirt now."

"Artemis? Congratulations," Yaten added when Luna replied with a nod.

"And yourself?"

"Myself?" Yaten was taken aback.

"Are you married? Attached at all?"

"No, no…" Yaten shook her head, brushing the question aside. "Unless you mean attached to the Princess as I've always been." She turned a half-circle, taking in the room's perfectly coordinated decorations, before falling into the cushion of a blue velvet sofa. "Tokyo has certainly changed since we've been here. To think it's being ruled by a king and queen now. And then we three strangers land in the middle of their palace and demand a guest room." She chuckled at the sudden thought. "I can't imagine what they'll think of us."

"Strangers?" Luna echoed, sinking into the blue cushion beside Yaten, and the other had a feeling (call it intuition, call it a hunch, just a _feeling_…) that another revelation hid just behind those twinkling eyes. "Why, I'm sure Mamoru and Usagi would never think of you as strangers!"

Luna thoroughly enjoyed the muted reaction her words brought. First one eyebrow, then another raised on Yaten's face, as a myriad of puzzled and confused expressions passed over her face in a few seconds. She shook her head slightly as if to free it of disturbing thoughts, and looked outward as in thought. "Mamoru and Usagi… king and queen. Earth really _has _gone downhill, hasn't it? I want to see Seiya's expression when she hears this." The small silver-blonde girl let herself fall back into the luxurious cushion of the sofa and gazed up at the marbled ceiling.

"Luna… I think we've got a lot of catching up to do."

----------------------------------

It had been an open invitation – _Come back and visit anytime._ But a year had passed, then another, and then ten, and they'd never returned. After a while, she'd come to think… maybe they'd forgotten… maybe they never would come back. And she'd hoped they wouldn't.

Not that she didn't miss him… or rather _her – _how she missed him those first months! But he could have no place in this world, no matter how much he may have wanted it.

Although her real reason was deeper. A quiet, secretly concealed secret that she'd tucked away safely in a place where it would hurt no one. And it needed to remain a secret for her sake, for the girl's sake. As long as it hurt no one, she could tell herself she didn't need the guilt. That was why he couldn't come back.

But he had come back. And for reasons not even she understood, she was deeply frightened.

Because it was quite possible that if she wasn't careful, he would be the destruction of her world… of everyone's world.

--------------------------------

She'd sent Miya off to her own home for the night. As much as she might have wanted to reunite with more of the Earth senshi, she felt she did not have the strength tonight. And so in her weakness, she fell prey to the temptation of the plump silk comforters and drifted away in consciousness from the strangeness of this new Tokyo and the questions that continued to plague her mind.

She dreamed that Usagi was standing in her bedroom that night. In the surreal dim light of the room, her hair gleamed ghostly white instead of its old sunshine blonde. Youth and beauty still polished her skin, like a fair goddess. Her pure blue eyes gazed out at her in silence, her lips never moving to make a sound. But Seiya could feel the meloncholy that weighed over the room, that sadness that reflected in empty eyes.

Then she turned over and she was gone.

_--------------------------------------_

_"Third rotation of Acuke," _–Yaten is speaking according to the Kinmoku calendar. What the heck does it mean? Your guess is as good as mine, as I just pulled it out of the blue. It refers to a certain day in the Kinmoku year.

Well, sorry for the melodramatic ending of this chapter. I hope the length of it makes up for the long hiatus I put this fic on, though I doubt it. Thanks to anyone who is still reading. ; See you with the next chapter.

-Abigail


	14. Fragments

On a Raven Wind 

Author:Abigail / Pikari / Drive Me Mercury / The Woman of Many Names

Email: 

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

---------------------------

**Chapter 13**

-_Fragments--_

Seiya officially hated the Crystal Palace. The wide, clear crystal skylight that brought the stars from the sky into her bedroom was beautiful enough at night, but unlike her window at home, there were no curtains to pull in front of the morning sun's glare when one felt like sleeping in. Which, for Seiya, happened to be every day. Sure, she hadn't been planning on spending all morning in bed this first day back on Earth, but a little extra snuggle-under-the-covers time would be nice. Thus she buried her head in her pillow, hoping to drift off for just a few more minutes before facing the invading dawn.

Somewhere she realized she was bouncing. No, to be specific, the bed was bouncing. So either there was an earthquake or… Seiya rolled over only to place her hand in something _wet_ on the bed. Confused, she looked up and squinted at two round pink eyes.

"Oh… hello, George," she slurred groggily, as soon as her mind had reached a stage of some comprehension. "Nice to meet you. You do realize that's a bad way to make a first impression, don't you?"

The furry white face was immediately replaced by panicked blue eyes. "George is really sorry. He didn't mean it. He's really nice, see?" The rabbit blinked boredly at her, not seeming to care a shred about the new human he was being introduced to, or the messy puddle he'd just left on the clean sheets.

Seiya backed away from the furball that was pushed eagerly in her face. "Okay, that's nice, really…" But the more Seiya moved away , the more insistent Miya seemed that George seal the apology with a kiss. With a bruising thump she ended up on the floor in a tangle of sheets, fully awake now. Rabbit and child peered over the edge of the bed. "George is really sorry…"

"Miya! What time is it?" Seiya attempted to free her legs from the web of blankets.

"Seven thirty-six," she recited from the digital alarm clock built into the bedstand.

Seiya managed to push aside the blankets and stumble to her feet, raking a (clean) hand through untamed black curls. She pondered it for a moment, before she scooped up the blanket and tossed it back on the bed, drowning black pigtails, rabbit, and all under its softness. Without further word she headed for the bathroom.

"Hey!" Miya called after Seiya's retreating back. Finally finding an opening in the fabric, she swiped a mildly confused but contented George into her arms and jumped toward the door before it had a chance to close in front of her. "Hey, hey! Seiya-papaaaa... I wanna have you meet my mama today! Please!? Okay, come on!"

"Alright, that's nice, but... this early?" Seiya reached for the faucet.

"I'll go tell her you're coming! Alright, bye!" Before she would hear another word of protest, the girl had disappeared and was already running down the halls. With a sigh, Seiya turned off the water. Next item on her agenda, teach that girl the meaning of "sleep in." She proceeded to snatch up a towel and headed for the shower.

She found no complaints against the Crystal Palace's showers, as the warm water assaulted her skin, gently massaging with its pressure and falling to run in rivers between her toes. She didn't linger, expecting to hear the skip of small feet in the room again at any time. Strangely, she found she was looking forward to this day with quiet eagerness, to be able to see Earth again, and maybe revisit old haunts, if any of them were still around.

While she tied the belt of her robe, as if on cue a child's eager voice floated through the doorway into the room. "She says hurry, 'cause she has to start work in twenty minutes," Miya relayed urgently, watching Seiya dump the contents of her suitcase on the bed to sift through the clothes with little regard to what semblance of order might have previously existed inside the case.

"Miya-chan, maybe another time would work bet--"

"No!" she urged, tugging on her papa's sleeve. "She wants to meet you _now_!"

While it was likely that Makiko-san was very interested in meeting her, Seiya knew enough to attribute the sudden life-and-death urgency to Miya. But any more protests might as well have been directed at a deaf puppy, and Seiya didn't feel the need to expend the energy. After all, this was the woman who had raised her daughter. She already owed her much more than a mere visit.

They met Taiki outside the room, already dressed and returning from the breakfast room with a mug of steaming coffee. "You're up early," she noted plainly.

"Things to do, places to see," Seiya waved her arms vaguely, injecting some sarcasm into the day's outlook. "Old flames to look up, more illegitimate children to discover..."

Taiki raised the mug to her lips, deadpan face showing no reaction to the attempt at humor. "Mm... good luck." And without further word or expression she brushed past and entered her rooms.

Seiya dropped her arms helplessly. "Okay, stay mad at me, see if I care," she spoke to the empty hall as she followed in Miya's direction. The girl had already skipped off out of sight, probably unaware her papa wasn't following close behind. The hall opened into a large alcove, branching out in several different directions. To the right, a balcony wound in a semicircle out toward the open air. Clear glass panes wrapped around the perimeter and a crystal dome above brought in the morning sun to play in prisms of light across the floor. Seiya had no idea which hallway to take, so she stopped to lounge by the windows with full faith that Miya would come running as soon as she was discovered missing.

The balcony offered a stunning view of the cityscape below, from its vantage point several stories high. Windows sparkled like hundreds of eyes in proud white and gray buildings. Far away on the skyline, the Tokyo Tower still stood like an enduring relic of an old world. Not being particularly interested in the scenery, Seiya pushed away from the railing after a few seconds, deciding she would take a gamble at a hallway, and Miya would just have to find her.

A hard thump of her heart took away her breath momentarily, and froze her body in place. Or rather, it was more likely the cause of all three reactions was singular. Seiya would have thought the woman had walked straight out of her dream if she was not wearing the same surprised and unguarded expression that probably mirrored her own. She looked the same as ever, yet so different. Childlike blue eyes gazed back at her, stripped down to a vulnerability that made Seiya wonder what she could be so afraid of.

"Usagi." The name fell off her lips almost unconsciously.

In hardly a few seconds, the brief expression was masked by a happy and welcoming smile, making one wonder if it had even been there in the first place. "Seiya! It's really you! I couldn't believe it. It's been so long!"

Seiya wore a smile as she stepped toward the petite person paused in the hallway entrance. For just a moment, the distance of years and separation fell away at her feet. A silly schoolgirl, an 'Odango', beamed in greeting as she waited for her idol classmate to approach. No... she was no schoolgirl... but a Queen. Yes, it hadn't been too difficult for Seiya to discover Usagi's new royal status, between Miya's constant chatterings about palace life and small hints from unaware staff last night, though being unsure, she'd kept it to herself. The woman she now faced was without doubt that schoolgirl, although sovereign silver locks that now framed her face seemed to drain all the sunshine from her countenance. But that didn't matter for the moment, because she was there, and she was Usagi.

"Usagi...uh, wow." Seiya's lack of intelligent speech came not so much from any kind of overwhelming emotion or nostalgia, but pure awkward uncertainty. "It has been a while."

"It has."

"You look good!" It wasn't a lie. At Usagi's modest but sincere smile, she continued, rambling. "No, seriously – I mean it. You don't look a day over eighteen."

"Twenty-two."

"What?"

"Twenty-two. It's when I stopped aging. Side effects of the Silver Crystal."

"I see."

"You... look pretty well-preserved yourself."

"What am I, a frozen casserole? We Kinmoku senshi have our own secrets to longevity." With one or two chuckles the air fell back into silence, but it didn't last for long.

"Seiya-papaaaaaaaaaa!!" Seiya's legs nearly buckled as a soft weight rammed them from behind. She caught herself from falling face-first into the woman in front of her. "Hey…" a familiar childish voice whined. "You're supposed to be following me… oh." Miya gave a soft word of realization noticing her papa wasn't alone in the room.

Seiya watched Usagi's face carefully, and watched it go from porcelain to pale. That same fear she had first noticed had resurfaced and pooled in her eyes. There was no mistaking Usagi knew her child. Her hands shifted uncomfortably over her dress, and her eyes followed suit, not daring to meet Seiya's own. Seiya felt something tighten inside of her at the other woman's unease. So Usagi must know her deception as well.

Seiya looked down at the child. "Miya, would you give us a minute alone? Tell Makiko-san I'm sorry, I'll have to meet her another time."

"But, Sei-"

"Miya." Her papa's voice was firm, and Miya had never heard her this serious. There would be no argument. She shrank back meekly, giving a crooked bob that passed for a curtsy – her mother would have her head if she didn't show proper respect to the royalty – but not without a cold glare at the woman who had stolen her papa this morning and made her act so strange and serious. With that, she ran away down the hall. The two adults who remained watched her disappear in uncomfortable silence.

"Why…" Seiya finally voiced the question that didn't need to be spoken. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Seiya, I…" Her eyes drifted away and Seiya saw she was nervously eyeing a maid who had come into hearing distance pushing a laundry cart through the hall. "Can we talk somewhere else?" she suggested.

Once she had closed the door on a nearby empty guest room, Usagi sat down, sinking into the edge of the mattress. "I thought… that was where she had gone," she spoke quietly. "Though Setsuna-san never said."

Seiya lingered nearer the doorway. "I don't understand." She was still waiting and hoping for that one explanation that would clear up all the misunderstanding and make things right again, but somehow she feared it wouldn't be that simple.

"To… your planet…" Usagi explained, looking confused. She thought her meaning had been clear enough, unless she'd misunderstood the reason Seiya was now here with Miya.

Seiya would have smiled if this had been any other conversation. Well, she _had_ always been a little slow on the uptake. "That's not the part I meant." _Everything – _that was what she didn't understand.

Usagi's eyes dropped to her hands again. "Seiya, I'm sorry…" She paused, fiddling with a knot on the quilt she sat on, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. Finally she spoke again. "When I found out I was pregnant, I was so afraid. So absolutely terrified. I didn't know what to do, and I was afraid to tell anyone. I could only trust Setsuna-san. I gave her to Setsuna-san. It was the only thing I could do, for everyone's future."

"You could have given her to me."

Usagi looked up to meet the other woman's eyes. "You were rebuilding your planet – your home was in shambles. You had a princess to live for. Could you really have cared for her back then? Could you even have accepted her?"

Seiya winced inwardly, knowing everything she spoke held truth. At that point in her life, had she really had the capability, physically and emotionally, to care for a child, especially Usagi's child? Perhaps she was partially right, but it also angered her. "You could have at least given me the choice!"

Her head fell again into her hands, as if unable to hold its weight. "I'm sorry, Seiya… I always meant to tell you… but I never could. I'm sorry…"

Seiya couldn't accept her apologies. This woman in front of him, this was not the Usagi she knew. Thinking of Miya only made the anger grow. She shook her head, unable to understand. "She doesn't even know you. You're her mother."

"It's probably better that way."

She looked away, and her eyes held a hollowness that struck a disturbance deep inside of Seiya. But she couldn't take this weak regret, this silent, uncharacteristic depression, this… apathy. "How can you say that? How can you even say that when your daughter… my daughter… is being raised by a stranger!? You would just turn your back on her like that?"

Usagi's head snapped up, apparently a spark of argument still left in her. She raised her voice to match Seiya's. "How can _you_ tell me that?! What right do you have to tell me what I should have done, after you _left_!"

"I _left_!?" Emotion had taken over her rational thought completely now. "I left!? Of course I left, Usagi! What did you expect me to do? Was I supposed to stand by and just watch you be all love-love over _him_?"

"I never asked you to stay, Seiya," she spoke, more calmly now.

"I know. I left by my own will." She looked away. "Of my mind, if not my heart."

"Which one…" Usagi began after a pause, while she continued to fiddle with the quilt. "…willed you to return?"

Seiya frowned. "I came back for Miya's sake. The rest doesn't matter now. Because… I'm not in love with you anymore."

A silence permeated the room that seemed weighted with finality. Seiya had shoved her hands into her pockets, staring at the bed curtains without really looking. Usagi closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm glad," she spoke when she finally looked up. "I'm glad. At least it will make things less awkward."

"You're right," Seiya smiled slightly. The smile soon faded, though. "What… will we do about Miya?"

"Will you take her back with you?"

"I suppose that's her choice. But she has family here on Earth already. Adopted family and… biological. Are you just going to keep deceiving her?" Seiya didn't pretend to smile anymore. 'Less awkward' or not, she hated this strange atmosphere between them, and hated the position they had put their daughter in.

Usagi felt her jaw tighten. "Seiya, you'll never understand…"

"I understand." Seiya heard the coldness that crept into her voice, and did nothing to suppress it. She turned toward the door. "You've changed, Usagi. You're not the person I knew."

"Everyone changes. People can't stay the same."

Seiya's hand paused on the doorknob. "I'll only stay for a week or so. Miya will have time to decide what she wants to do."

Usagi's hand flew to her mouth, as soon as the door had closed with a final heavy click, leaving her alone in an empty room. _Alone, again._ She gasped, holding back the emotions that fought to rise to the surface. The tears had stopped coming years ago, but somehow, now they dripped to stain her pure white gown.

"…except for you, Seiya," she whispered to nobody. "You're exactly the same."

--------------------------------

Notes: Thanks to all my loyal readers, if you're still reading after all this time. (I am, surprisingly, still alive) I hope the New Year brings you lots of joy and goodness!


	15. A World of Change

On a Raven Wind 

Author:Abigail / Pikari / Drive Me Mercury

Email: PG-13

Chapter started:12-28-04 Chapter ended: 2-10-05

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

-

**Chapter 14**

-_A World of Change-_

The walk back to her room afforded Seiya barely a fraction of the time she needed to think about everything that was pounding in her mind. What made it worse was that very little of it made sense. She was angry, she was upset, she was confused. So many things had changed since she had last been here that, despite Galaxia's threat, those seemed like innocent days. She almost wished for those days again. She didn't recognize this world, or these people, anymore. But then Usagi had been right. She couldn't expect everything to stay the same. Perhaps there lay her problem.

She paused outside her own door, noticing Taiki's door beside hers was ajar. _Well, she didn't need to be at odds with everybody in the world if she could help it._ She let herself in, and found the brunette Starlight absorbed in a stack of dusty books. It obviously hadn't taken her long to raid the palace library's archives. Seiya picked up a book idly, not really interested in it, but Taiki was either ignoring her or so absorbed in the text she was oblivious to the rest of the world. Knowing Taiki, both were equally likely explanations. Seiya dropped the book on the table again, purposely making enough noise not to be ignored.

A pair of reading glasses teetering on the end of a nose appeared over the top of a large encyclopedia-sized book. "Seiya?" The brunette looked surprised to find another body in the room. "Did you want something?"

"Oh, I just thought I'd start catching up on all the history lessons I've been missing since we've been gone."

The other woman pushed up her glasses and reached for another book from the stack in front of her. "Well, it's quite fascinating, actually. You won't believe the things that have taken place on this world since the last time we were here. The entire infrastructure of government, society, even belief has been changed drastically! Since the Silver Crystal was used to purify the world almost eight years ago..."

"Taiki..."

"...Crystal Tokyo – the new Tokyo, you might say, or rather the new Japan – rose up as a monarchy with the Sailor Senshi and the Lunar royalty at its head, becoming one of the most powerful kingdoms on this planet. But even despite that, there was – "

"Taiki! Do I look like I care? I was kidding. This is me we're talking about, remember?" Seiya would much rather eat a history book than read one, regardless of whose history it was, and that was never going to change.

Replacing her book on the table, Taiki dropped out of lecture-mode and leaned back in the chair. "I suppose I should have known that already." She adjusted her auburn locks, which were tied loosely over her shoulder, more light and feminine than her stricter battle-ponytail.

Seiya fiddled with the book she'd picked up earlier, flipping through pages just to have something to do with her hands. "Uh, anyway..." she began lamely. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for yesterday."

"What happened yesterday?"

The dark-haired woman looked up in disbelief. For someone with such an intelligent mind, could she really be this dense? So did this mean she had never been angry? "What I meant was... the thing that I said..."

"Ah." Violet eyes darkened with realization. "Seiya, don't worry about it. You've said plenty of worse things in the past. Besides, yesterday I was... in a rather bad mood."

"What could be worse than telling your best friend why she's still single on the anniversary of her wife's death?" Seiya couldn't be as quick to forgive herself as Taiki seemed to be, because she really regretted her stupid words now. And then, Taiki tended to store things deep inside, even while she pretended it was alright.

Taiki let her eyes fall shut with a sigh. After a moment she relented. "Okay, Seiya. You are an idiot. An incredibly stupid idiot."

She opened them again to find a grinning Seiya. "Thanks, sis." When the silly expression had faded, it turned to soft concern. "How are you doing?"

Removing her glasses, Taiki glanced inquiringly in the other woman's direction. When she turned away, there were drops of the emptiness in her eyes that had once drowned them completely. But there were also hints of a sad smile that crossed her face. "I'm okay. After all, it's been five years. A person has to move on eventually if they expect to keep living in the present world, instead of the past."

Seiya took that as reassurance enough. In the silence that followed, she thought it safe to change the subject. "I talked to Usagi."

Taiki turned toward her with interest. "And?" she prompted when the other woman didn't continue immediately.

"I don't know," Seiya shrugged, her hands finding sudden interest in the book again. "I guess still I don't understand why she did everything that she did."

"What did she tell you?"

The earlier conversation played over in Seiya's head in a confusing jumble. Usagi had given her reasons for actions – at least some of her reasons, but they had seemed incomplete. She sensed there was something she was holding back. Seiya realized with some regret that she'd probably walked out before the whole story could be told. "I think... I didn't give her much chance to explain everything." She shook her head to free it from any further thoughts. "It doesn't matter right now... I'll talk to her again this week. Miya wants me to meet her adoptive mother as well. But for now, I think I'm going to search out some breakfast."

"Seiya," Taiki spoke up before she could reach the door. From the tone of her voice, the other woman could tell there was something weighing on her mind. "It's possible there's no need at all for me to say this, but..." She paused briefly to contemplate her words. "I know you've been over her for many years, but that was back on Kinmoku, and far away. Now that we're on Earth again –"

"Don't worry." Seiya flashed a brief knowing smile. She could tell what Taiki was getting at. Being near to Usagi again was going to take some getting used to, but she'd already made that decision a long time ago. "I'm not going to do that again."

"I'm not going to fall for her again."

-

"We are certainly honored at your visit, Mr. Chancellor. I thank you for respecting my request to speak together. Crystal Tokyo is grateful to have a friend in you and your people."

In an ornate drawing room deep in the Crystal Palace, two formally-suited men shook hands before sinking into opposing chairs. The taller man, and the one who had just spoken, offered his guest a cup from the silver tea service tray that sat between them.

"Europe has always valued our partnership with the East," the other man responded, accepting the steaming teacup. "I should hope that will never change."

"Indeed." The first man stirred a lump of sugar into his cup, before sitting back and crossing his legs. His face was young but dignified, blue eyes calm and composed, touched with a soft gentleness. His suit was a pristine lavender-grey, with an assortment of gold medals and rich trimmings that gave an immediate statement of authority and prestige. "In fact, I only believe it is right and natural that our people unite together even further."

"I admire your spirit, Sir Endymion, but you'll find that many in Europe like to cling fiercely to their independence." He smiled slightly, wittily avoiding the point he knew the other man was driving towards. The chancellor was the older of the two, with dark hair and a round but wise face. Despite position he held, and the power he could potentially wield if he so chose as head of the recently consolidated European states, his dress was unpretentious. His traditional old-world business suit was adorned only by the gold symbol of his nation on his lapel.

"I would certainly never wish to take away anybody's independence. Far from it, in fact."

"I'm glad to hear it. I also hope that Tokyo wishes to continue her trade agreement with the European republic. Our Parliament has approved a continued arrangement with your country and would also like to propose an increased trade – more specifically, in natural gas and manufactured goods."

The two men went on to discuss the trade agreement, going over the more mundane details and figures. Tokyo, or rather Crystal Tokyo, which now included all of Japan, Korea, and a greater part of East Asia, remained a powerful economic force in the world, despite a recent recession, and the chancellor would not be so unwise as to ignore such a profitable alliance. However, it wasn't long before the Tokyo king smoothly steered the conversation back in the direction the other man had expected, though nevertheless had wished to avoid. "You know I value our current alliance more than anything, Chancellor Kafka. But you should already know I can't help but feel our nations would be stronger if we moved together against our common enemy."

The European only shook his head good-naturedly. "You'll find quite a large number of opinions in the Parliament that would disagree with you, Sir Endymion."

Endymion leaned forward pointedly. "But you do not." The king was well aware of the sway the other man might hold over the political West – eight years ago he could easily have set himself up as a king when the world's governments were dissolved, had his modesty not prevented him. Instead he chose to orchestrate the gaggle of squabbling politicians that now presided over the sometimes fractured, sometimes unified continent.

"I will support what is in the best interest of my nation. And if I may be frank with you, Sir, I don't yet believe this enemy you speak of is as common as you think. We sympathize with your situation, of course, but Europe is not going to be willing to involve itself in the problems of another nation without good cause."

"That's where you're wrong, Chancellor. These creatures, these sub-humans... are not contained. There have been reports of them very recently in areas all over the world. Europe is no more immune than any other society on this Earth. You would be foolish to think otherwise. If your nation would accept the protection of the Silver Crystal, we might create a force strong enough to repel this threat."

"I don't appreciate being called a fool, Sir," the chancellor maintained his pleasant expression, but his words were clear.

"Of course. My apologies. I did not intend it that way," the king acknowledged with a bow of his head.

"And secondly, you offer us the protection of your Silver Crystal. But was it not this same Crystal that created these monsters to begin with?"

"That is one of the theories, yes. The truth is no one is really sure how they appeared. But I can assure you, you have no reason to doubt the integrity of the Silver Crystal."

"Forgive me if I do, Sir Endymion. If we accept this protection, how can we be sure that what happened during the purification of Earth will not be repeated? Correct me if I am wrong, but the Crystal relies heavily on the spirit of its wielder, does it not?"

"Would you question my wife's purity, Mr. Chancellor?" The question was leveled evenly at the older man, though Endymion did not allow the tone of his voice to waver.

"I would never dare to. I would, however, question the purity of the stone itself. But I won't argue science and magic with you – you have my answer. I will take your proposal back to the Parliament but I can tell you you'll get the same response. Now, I hope this won't affect our current trade agreements?"

"Certainly not. I am disappointed, Chancellor, but not ready to give up. I believe our futures are at risk, and you may think of me what you like, but I believe this is Earth's destiny. I should tell you this – the agreement was finalized yesterday, and most of the South American states will be coming under the protection of the Crystal."

The European leaned back in his chair, pondering the news in calm silence. It was unexpected, so suddenly, but not surprising. Many of the South American states had never fully recovered from the chaos and near-anarchy that had occurred in the wake of the purification. Support from Crystal Tokyo would be welcome relief for the nations currently plagued by the Atervos – the _dark ones_ – but it also meant the Asian kingdom was growing incredibly powerful. The reaction from the rest of the world would be interesting to watch.

"Destiny... well, we shall wait and see, Sir Endymion."

-

The fifteen-year-old paused on the sidewalk, raising his eyes to the tall crystal spires that pierced the sky. They rose like spears, awesome and beautiful, each tip glinting in the mid-morning sunlight, chiseled white against the clear blue sky. There was something ethereal about them, in a frightening way – the towers of a goddess. Letting his gaze fall back to the earth, the world was transformed back into the mottle of gray and color that was the streets of Juuban, Tokyo. Hitching the strap of his bag higher up on his shoulder, he skipped to catch up with his brother, who was still striding steadily several long paces in front of him.

"Why are you always staring at those things?"

The blue-haired youth fell into step alongside his older sibling. He responded with a careless shrug and a half-smile that glinted with lightheartedness, painting over the more serious matters on his mind. "What, can't I admire fine architecture?"

The warning glare he received from cool violet eyes didn't faze him. He expected as much. "Chill, Demand," the younger spoke. The rueful expression he received in return wasn't surprising, either. Not quite a smile, but a mix of brotherly teasing and defensive _who the hell are you to tell me?_ He had lived with him all his life and probably knew the eighteen-year-old better than any person on the planet. No, in fact, he was steadfastly confident he knew his brother better than any person on the planet. Every passion, every annoying mood, every embarrassing secret, every dream – because Demand was a dreamer... but always in a calculated, passionate way. They'd been through everything together, yet two personalities couldn't be more different. "How many people do think we'll manage to round up for this thing, anyway?" Saffir directed the conversation back to the project at hand, quickening his pace to match the other's long-legged strides.

"More than last time, if we're lucky. I think some people are starting to wake up and catch on. But we need the support of more of the population if we expect anyone to take us seriously. These damn salarymen get a little boost in their stocks and go all passive again, like everything is just fine. They can't see beyond that..."

"The economy is getter better..." Saffir inserted mechanically. He wasn't paying all that much attention – Demand could talk for hours on these subjects if you let him. Sure, he agreed with it for the most part, but he'd heard the sermon before.

"It's all a ruse! And meanwhile, good people are dying." Saffir was spared the rest of the rant by a comrade who hailed them from the site of the protest. They exchanged greetings with the man, an older college student and classmate of Demand's, who also proceeded to ruffle Saffir's blue locks playfully, to the teenager's irritation. Combing his bangs back in place, he glanced around at the sparse crowd that milled about the square. Probably less than half of them were there for the same purpose they were.

"Where is everybody?"

"This is it, man. This is everyone who showed up," the classmate waved his arm at the crowd to emphasize his words.

"Where's Lana?"

"She's not coming, man. She had some excuse about business, you know. She's been putting in more time at the office..."

"More important than the cause, huh..." the silver-haired teen muttered under his breath.

"Well, we all gotta live, you know, I guess, even if it sucks. But it's not a bad turnout, really. Could be worse."

Demand nodded, not willing to let pessimism win the day yet. "As long as our voice gets heard, nothing else matters."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, man. I know I can always count on you two to show up. You guys are awesome." With a hearty slap to Demand's back, he leapt onto the makeshift platform, calling out to the crowd to catch their attention. He got very enthusiastic responses from a few, with mild reactions of interest to complete ignorance from the remaining passersby. Demand moved toward the platform to join him, checking over his shoulder first to see if Saffir was still behind him. When he did, he found the boy once again looking thoughtfully toward the sky.

"I thought I told you to quit staring at that."

"Is it really worth it, Demand... do you think?" His suddenly reflective tone complemented the frown that pulled down the corners of his mouth.

"What are you saying?" the older brother scoffed. He knew Saffir supported the cause just a strongly, though maybe less vocally, as he did. After all, they had the same reason.

"All I'm saying is... Look at us. We can't even organize a decent-sized rally. Normal people call us crazy. We're like little kids with sticks and stones trying to storm... _that fortress_. It's virtually impossible."

"Saffir..." Demand raked a hand through his hair with frustration. They couldn't take the doubts and disappointments to heart. They only had to look forward, and sometimes Saffir couldn't see that. Sometimes his practical mind just couldn't dream that far ahead. He took a few steps back to where his younger brother stood while his classmate's impassioned speech began to fill the square. That was when something caught his eye – on a rooftop in the near distance... the unmistakable silhouette of a Sailor Senshi watching from the shadows. He grit his teeth silently. _That just proves everything we're fighting for is right._ He turned his eyes back to the towers of the Crystal Palace, still unchanging in their majesty, and laid a hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

"It's just a glass house, Saffir. And if we throw enough stones, eventually it's going to shatter."


	16. Dinner and a Monster

On a Raven Wind

Author:Abigail / Pikari / Drive Me Mercury

Email: abigail(at)makenaiDOTorg

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all characters and settings belong to the one-and-only Naoko Takeuchi. All created characters and plots within this story are my own.

**Chapter 15**

_-Dinner and a Monster-_

After waking pleasantly late (though not as late as that lazy-ass Seiya usually did) and taking a satisfying breakfast downstairs, Yaten decided she might as well finish unpacking her luggage. Her clothes were probably wrinkled by now, but she hadn't felt like digging into all the suitcases last night after Luna had left. Shrugging the thought aside, she figured there was sure to be a maid somewhere in the palace who would be more than happy to be blessed with the job of ironing. And Yaten wasn't one to deny anyone such a joy.

A soft knock sounded, and she looked up to see Luna poking her head through the doorway. The former cat gave a bright smile. "Ready for that tour I promised?"

Yaten beamed in reply. "Definitely."

It had been a long time since she'd enjoyed herself as much as she did just wandering around the gilded halls with Luna, laughing and talking about the old days, and marveling at the things that had taken place over ten years, and the things that hadn't changed a bit. Luna showed her the fine gems of the palace, like the lavish and breathtaking throne room, as well as the more hidden luxuries deep in the heart of the structure that most people didn't know about, such as the hot tubs and full-size gymnasium. As they strolled through the cavernous main hall where the Starlights had first touched down upon their return to Earth yesterday, Luna noticed Yaten peering over her shoulder for what was probably the fifth time that morning.

"Are you expecting someone?" Luna inquired curiously.

"Er... sort of. But not really. I mean... Ever since I got here yesterday I've been expecting every minute to get hit by a blonde nuclear bomb. But it hasn't happened yet. It's kinda starting to make me nervous."

The other woman laughed. "I'm pretty sure Venus is out on duty today, monitoring a protest that's going on in one of the Tokyo districts. So, I'm sorry to disappoint you." She followed the Kinmoku woman's gaze down the hallway and frowned for only a moment when she caught a glimpse of not blonde, but white, quickly disappearing from view.

"Hey, it's not like I was wanting to see her at all," Yaten shrugged, tipping her head back to study the crystal chandeliers. "I just wanna get it over with so I don't have to look around, expecting her to jump me at any second. I get the feeling that someone as annoying as she was isn't going to change in just ten years."

"Just as you haven't, either, Yaten-kun." Luna found herself being very amused. "But I think you're right, she hasn't changed. Actually, I can relieve your anticipation if you'd like. Ami-chan suggested this morning that we all go out to dinner tonight. 'All of us' meaning the Starlights and the Earth Senshi, of course, plus Artemis and I. It'll be nice to see everyone all together again."

"That sounds great. I'll mention it to Taiki and Seiya. I'm sure they'd love to come." Yaten turned to her tour guide with a grin. "Now, there wouldn't happen to be a shopping mall inside this palace, too, would there?"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"C'mon, I wanna take you to the shopping mall, too!"

"Alright, alright," Seiya let herself be dragged down the sidewalk deep inside one of Tokyo's many commercial districts. "But you know I have no money, right?"

"I bet if you tell them you're an alien senshi they'd give you free stuff, ya think?"

Seiya chuckled. "How's this? _You_ tell them you're half alien, and we'll see how much free stuff you get, okay?" She glanced around curiously at the neon lights and blaring advertisements of the buildings surrounding them. Why did this street seem so oddly familiar?

"Heeeey!" Miya's eyes widened in revelation. "I never even thought of it like that before. I'm half alien!" She paused as her mind took several long moments to process the idea. "That's so _cool_!"

"Yeah, I guess it is..." Seiya agreed distractedly. Her eyes had fallen on a glowing pink sign in a window across the street. "_Jump Luv Grill_... no way..." She tugged the younger girl's hand toward curb. "Let's go in here first."

It was so different – it was a freakin' restaurant now, after all – but Seiya still laughed as she walked inside. It was probably partly because of the crazy decor. The high warehouse ceiling remained, along with the balconies that looked down at the customers below, although the dance floor was now filled with tables, chairs, and waitresses in hot pink. Colored orbs of light hung from the ceiling in place of the old blinding strobe lights, though the room's main source of light came from where the entire front wall had been knocked out to install a huge two-story picture window. The walls were still the same white-washed cement, but now they were splattered with colorful graffiti, completing the establishment's retro/industrial/urban look, which was either very hip or just very tacky. At the back of the room, the bar no longer served up alcohol and drinks, but sushi instead. Seiya could still picture that silly dance as the girl waved her arms to the music, her face still glowing with embarrassment. And then the power outage, and the press of her small body against Seiya's own inside the blanket of darkness...

"Um... Seiya-papa? Why are we here? We already ate." Miya wrinkled her nose at the vivid art splayed across the walls.

"Table for two?" a waitress inquired with a bored smile.

"Ah, no thanks," Seiya waved her aside. "I just wanted to look." Miya was giving her a very strange look once the waitress had left – one of those _should I be checking your temperature?_ looks. "This place used to be a dance club," Seiya explained, leading the girl toward the exit. "I took your mother here once."

She watched the girl's face brighten at the mention of that person, and then it was replaced by a wise, suspecting smirk. "Of cooourse!" she declared with a scholarly air. "I should have known. You're always happy like that when you talk about her."

"Happy?" Seiya was genuinely taken aback by the notion. Thinking of those years after Earth, this morning's conversation... _happy_ wasn't exactly the word she'd choose. But yet the tacky little club-turned-restaurant had brought a smile to her face.

"Yep," the nine-year-old affirmed. "And I think I know why." Her mysterious grin said she wasn't going to let go of her secret bit of information just yet.

"Is that so?" Seiya regarded the girl with playful suspicion before her eyes turned slightly distant. "Well... I guess you know something I don't. C'mon... let's get some window shopping done before we're late for dinner."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Dinner turned out to be served at a very posh traditional Japanese restaurant not far from the palace. The lyrical notes of a stringed instrument floated in the background as the eleven of them knelt around the low table laden with gourmet dishes. With the exception of Setsuna, the Outer Senshi had been excused from the invitation for business purposes, narrowing their reunion into a slightly smaller group. ("Figures..." Yaten had snorted. "They always were too good for everybody but their own egos") Also obviously missing was Usagi, who claimed a headache and excused herself, saying she wanted to wait for Mamoru to finish his meeting with the European ambassadors. But between the five Earth senshi who remained, the three Starlights, and Luna and Artemis, they were hardly a sparse group. Miya was also present, and while she gained many polite yet curious smiles from the others, no questions were asked. If Setsuna had extended the dinner invitation to this young girl as well, she must have a reason. Most of the senshi were aware of the child's friendship with the Time Guardian, so nothing seemed unnatural about her presence. Minako was the only one who sat at her corner of the table wearing a mysterious secret smile as Seiya and Miya took their seats. (After, of course, Luna and the girls had managed to peel the blonde off of Yaten when the Starlight had begun to scream for air.)

Seiya ended up at the end of the table with Taiki to her right, so Miya took a spot across from her between Yaten and Rei. Luna and Artemis occupied the other end of the table, with the remaining senshi seated in between. The conversation drifted naturally as the food was served, as the topics ranged from domestic politics on Kinmoku to Minako's latest encounters with the spiders in her shower.

"I've been reading up on some of the events that have taken place on Earth since we were last here," Taiki spoke up at a break in the conversation. "It's quite amazing. Although I admit there are some points I didn't completely understand."

"There are some points that are not yet resolved. It gets quite complicated," Setsuna explained.

"I do understand that," the brunette replied, "judging from the vagueness of some of the texts."

"I think it took a long time for most of us here to get used to the changes," Makoto laughed. "Even after eight years, I still find it strange to be called 'princess' and live in a palace."

"Yet the rest of the city doesn't seem to have changed much," Yaten pointed out.

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Seiya looked up from the fugu she was spearing on a pair of chopsticks. "You'd think in ten years you guys could have invented something useful… like flying cars or something."

"Technology has advanced quite far," Setsuna smiled coolly. "It just isn't as visible as your flying cars."

"We wanted to interrupt the citizens' lives as little as we could when Crystal Tokyo came about," Ami offered to answer Yaten's question. "That is why so much of old Tokyo seems the same, to keep a smooth transition from the old society to the new one."

"Yeah, that plan backfired."

"Minako…" the blue-haired girl shot her friend a warning glance, though their short exchange was too low to be fully heard by the others at the end of the table.

"The archives mentioned something about problems with the Silver Crystal," Taiki spoke up again. "That was the part I didn't quite understand, and there wasn't much explanation given. I thought the Silver Crystal was one of the most powerful Star Seeds in the galaxy, with only powers to purify."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the Earth senshi as no one seemed to be willing to speak up to answer the question, and several suddenly concentrated intently on the plates in front of them. "The Crystal has always been pure, so you're correct," Ami finally spoke up. "That hasn't changed, and I don't think it ever will. Problems with the Crystal… well, that's a popular rumor that has been going around for years, but there's only a little truth to it, and even then, we can't say for sure. One of the biggest problems we faced immediately after the creation of Crystal Tokyo was the sudden appearance of… the _dark creatures_."

"Dark creatures?" All three Starlights and even Miya were fully interested by now.

"Atervos," Luna continued, "or by translation, the _Dark Ones_. Youma-like humanoid creatures that attack cities and villages and feed on living humans. They showed up suddenly all around the world after the purification occurred. From what we know, they usually attack alone, finding an isolated victim, but they are much bolder when they are desperate. Fortunately we've managed to banish them from central Tokyo and most of Japan, but they are still a big problem in many parts of the world, especially since they have learned to organize and ally themselves together."

"But where did they come from?"

The women exchanged glances. "We think the Atervos may have been created during the purification, from people who resisted the power of the Crystal. The Crystal cannot purify anyone without that person's acceptance. Normally the power of the Crystal is simply so overwhelming that the receiver simply accepts it, but if they were somehow able to resist the purification, it could have brought out all the darkness in their soul, banning any goodness they possessed in their own soul along with the Crystal's, and literally consuming them with evil. That would have caused them to turn on other human beings as these creatures are doing now."

Each Starlight listened with intense surprise and concern. Earth had seemed completely peaceful since their arrival, so they'd had no idea such serious things were happening across the globe.

"But they're being defeated," Minako spoke up, making a point to inject optimism into an explanation that she felt was already becoming too dark than the reality as she saw it. "We're winning," she stated solemnly. Her comrades nodded in agreement. Each quietly understood the hardship and the controversy of the battle they had fought so far, but they knew they were winning. Setsuna merely lifted her chopsticks to her mouth in sage silence.

After a sober pause, Seiya's voice broke in. "Sure, but that's still no excuse for not having flying cars."

"Seiya…" Taiki groaned, and Miya giggled a little. Soon a few of the other girls joined in, and she'd effectively turned the conversation back to lighter matters.

"Are micro-sized computers advanced enough for you, Seiya-kun?" Ami countered.

"Do they fly?" Seiya grinned.

"You're hopeless, idiot," Yaten declared, serving herself another helping of vegetables.

"When is your princess coming to visit us?" Minako inquired eagerly. "We're all dying to see her again."

"She promises to be here as soon as she's finished her visit to Centauri," Seiya explained. "Which could be centuries, knowing the Centaur diplomats. I've been there, and they can ramble for hours about virtually nothing. I don't know how the Princess keeps her sanity."

"She doesn't," Yaten stated. "Last time she ranted to me for fifteen minutes about how she despised interplanetary diplomacy and brainless suits like the Centaurs." Remembering the caring, refined princess they had met ten years ago, the Earth senshi could hardly imagine Kakyuu ranting about anything, much less using a term like "brainless suits".

"Even I can ditto that," Taiki said, "Although water trade negotiation has never been my area of interest."

"I really doubt it's _anyone's_ area of interest, Taiki," Seiya rolled her eyes.

"I'll bet its Ami's!" Minako declared loudly.

The blue-haired girl nearly choked on her mouthful of rice. "Minako! How can you say that?" The soft-spoken girl protested. "You know I still haven't forgiven you for dumping me on those American ambassadors last month."

The blonde winked. "But that cute red-haired one had a crush on you, I could just tell."

The other girl's face was quickly turning red, but she held it up haughtily as she turned back to her plate. "That's no reason to leave all the boring diplomacy with me while you're off shopping."

"I think someone's jealous, huh?" Makoto smirked.

"But boring stuff is what you _do_, Ami!" Minako drawled. "Did you ever get his phone number, by the way?"

"That's none of your business!" Ami countered, quickly shoveling another bite into her mouth, although it wasn't doing much help to disguise her cherry-colored face. The whole table laughed.

The conversation drifted on merrily after that. As Seiya glanced toward Miya, she noticed the girl had fallen strangely quiet, pushing food around her plate but not really eating it. _Maybe she didn't like fugu?_ Snagging a biteful of sweet shrimp with her chopsticks, she held them out. "Hey, what's wrong? If you don't like that, try the shrimp, it's excellent." She punctuated her words with a wink.

The reply wasn't what she expected. The girl squirmed a little, eyes never lifting from her plate. Her voice was barely audible. "I'm scared."

Seiya was taken aback and baffled. Her eyes darted quickly toward the other occupants of the table, who were caught up in conversation as Artemis and Minako bickered over some story they were trying to tell. "Trust me, they don't bite," she confided softly. She nodded toward Yaten with a smirk. "Except for her. But you got nothing to worry about." Seiya smiled reassuringly at Miya.

"Isn't that right, Seiya-kun?"

She looked up at the sound of her name being mentioned. "What's that?" She hadn't been paying attention to the current thread of discussion.

"We were just talking about what a lame monster you made," Makoto giggled.

"Huh? Me? A monster?" Seiya gave a final look back to Miya, who was hesitantly scooping food into her mouth again, to her relief. She focused her attention back toward the other girls.

"Don't you remember the camping trip? Your little joke?"

She grinned easily as the memory came back to her. "Of course. I scared the crap out of you guys."

Giggles erupted across the table. "Oh, come on! Now you're just taking credit for the youma," Minako jabbed.

"Oh – was that the youma?" Seiya continued the kidding with feigned ignorance.

"As if your toy chainsaw was really going to scare anyone, Seiya," Yaten smirked.

"By the way, Rei-chan, how is your cousin doing?" Luna spoke up.

Rei looked up. "Kengo? He's been doing well. He married last year and still makes his pottery."

Miya stirred the remaining scraps of food around her plate, not really listening to the conversation around her. The weird feeling in her stomach kept getting stronger; she wondered if she were coming down with a flu or something, though it really didn't feel like that. But she knew… it was making her scared. She wished now she had gotten a seat beside Seiya or Setsuna instead of where she was.

Rei looked down in surprise when she felt a small hand pressing into hers under the table. The black-haired child beside her never lifted her eyes from her plate. Without entirely understanding why, Rei curled her fingers around the hand, squeezing it gently.

Everyone continued to chat as laughter and stories drifted easily around the table. Rei was pushing the last bite of her rice together on her plate when an all-too-familiar wave of nausea struck her, causing the chopsticks to slip from her fingers and clatter to the table.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I was saying to Rei-chan the other day, remember?" Minako paused when she noticed her friend's face. "Wow, you look pale? Are you alright? Rei… chan?" She stuttered the last words as the violet-eyed girl suddenly stood up.

A loud crash of porcelain dishes broke the atmosphere, followed by a chilling, unearthly scream that most occupants of the table recognized all too well. In seconds every soldier in the room was on her feet. "_Atervos_," Ami muttered.

Yaten whirled on the soldiers of Earth. "You told us you'd banished them from Tokyo!"

"So we thought." Setsuna's face was set toward the source of the uproar, her eyes quickly hardening into a determined battle gaze.

Rei glanced down in astonishment at the child beside her, who was looking frightened and unsure about what was going on. _This girl… felt it as well? And earlier than I did?_

A pale-faced waiter burst through the sliding door of their private room just as screams began to rise from the main restaurant outside. He arrived just in time to witness a chorus of transformation calls from the women around the table as the room lit up with their energy. Seiya planted a foot firmly in the center of the table and stepped across. She crouched and cinched an arm around the pigtailed girl who was trying as best she could to disappear under the low table. "W-what's going to happen?" Miya managed to force out through her rising fear as she felt herself being lifted from the floor. Another crash of glass sounded, nearer this time, as Seiya's eyes scanned the room urgently, searching for _somewhere_…

She hurried toward the back of the room, dropping the girl in her arms behind a tall potted plant. As her eyes locked with Miya's for a single moment, Seiya's voice was hard and firm. "Don't move. Got that?" Miya could only nod silently. But she couldn't help peering around the pot in front of her as Seiya ran off to join the battle, and a familiar but strange voice rang out:

_"Fighter Star Power, make up!"_

Miya pressed her fists to the floor and silently prayed.


End file.
